Japan: Attacker 'wants to eliminate disabled people in the world'

(Baonghean.vn) - Japanese media reported that the perpetrator of the massacre was Satoshi Uematsu, 26 years old, a former employee of the Tsukui Yamayuri-en disability center. When arrested, he said he 'wanted to eliminate disabled people from the world'.

Ambulances take victims of the attack in the early morning of July 26 to the hospital. Photo: NHW News

On the morning of July 26, Japan was shocked by the massacre that took place at 2:30 a.m. at the Tsukui Yamayuri-en disability center in Kanagawa province, south of Tokyo.

According to information from rescue forces, the attacker used a knife to kill 19 people and injured about 20, most of whom are in critical condition.

Japanese media reported that the perpetrator of the massacre was Satoshi Uematsu, 26 years old, a former employee of the Tsukui Yamayuri-en disability center. When arrested by the police, he admitted to the crime and said 'he wanted to eliminate disabled people from the world'.

Responding to NHK channel, a witness said that at about 3 am, a police car arrived at Tsukui Yamayuri-en disability center. One of the police told the residents to go home because the situation was very dangerous.

Several more police cars arrived shortly thereafter. A man with dyed hair and a black shirt was taken away by police. The injured were taken to hospital for treatment.

As of April 1, the Tsukui Yamayuri-en disability center in Kanagawa Prefecture was accepting 149 patients, aged 19 to 75. Many had been staying there for decades. Tsukui Yamayuri-en, which has a clinic, a swimming pool and a gym, also offers home care services.

It is known that Japan has had many knife attacks, but the attack on July 26 is considered the bloodiest attack since the end of World War II.

The most recent incident occurred in 2008. On June 8, 2008, Tomohiro Kato, a 25-year veteran of the company, was having trouble with his business when he attempted suicide by driving a truck into pedestrians before getting out and stabbing others. The attack left seven people dead and 10 injured. Kato was sentenced to death in 2011.

In 2001, Mamoru Takuma, a 37-year-old former janitor, broke into an elementary school in Osaka and killed eight children and injured dozens of others. Despite his mental illness, the court sentenced Takuma to death and he was executed in 2004.

Chu Thanh

(According to Le Monde)