Suspect believed anime studio stole his novel
A man suspected of torching an animation studio and killing 33 people in Japan’s worst mass killing in two decades had been convicted of robbery and carried out the attack because he believed his novel had been plagiarized, media said yesterday.
Public broadcaster NHK, which identified the 41-year-old man as Shinji Aoba, citing police, said he served time in prison for robbing a convenience store east of Tokyo in 2012 and, after his release, lived in facilities for former convicts. He had also received care for mental illness, NHK said.
The attack on Thursday in the ancient capital of Kyoto, targeting the well known animation studio, Kyoto Animation, killed 33 people and 10 were in critical condition, authorities said.
It was the worst mass killing in a country with one of the world’s lowest crime rates since a suspected arson attack in Tokyo killed 44 people in 2001.
Aoba wheeled a trolley carrying at least one bucket of petrol to the entrance of the building before dousing the area, shouting “die” and setting it ablaze on Thursday, broadcaster Nippon TV said, citing police.
“I did it,” Aoba told police when he was detained, Kyodo news said, adding that he had started the fire because he believed the studio had stolen his novel. Broadcaster Nippon TV said the suspect was under anaesthesia because of burns he suffered and police were unable to question him.
Tributes to the victims lit up social media, with world leaders and Apple Inc’s chief executive offering condolences.
None of the victims’ identities had been disclosed as of yesterday. There were 74 people inside the building when the fire started.
The fire that tore through the building have spread so fast not only because it was fuelled by petrol, but because it was funnelled up a spiral staircase and there were no sprinklers to douse it, experts said.
Nineteen of the 33 who died were found on a staircase leading up to the roof from the third floor, bodies piled on top of each other, Kyodo said, citing authorities.
Firefighters arriving soon after the fire began found the door to the roof was shut but could be opened from the outside, Kyodo said.
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