A gunman opened fire at a hospital and then took hostages inside a post office in Warabi city in Japan’s Saitama prefecture. The gunman was reportedly armed with a handgun and injured two people.
The New York Times reported that two female postal workers in their 20s and 30s were held hostage of whom one was released. At around 7.15 pm, Japanese broadcaster NHK, showed footage of the woman in her 20s walking out of the post office without injury. Negotiators are reportedly talking to the suspect by telephone.
According to CNN, the gunman is believed to be between 50 to 70 years of age, 1.6m tall and barricaded himself at a post office which is located about 1.5 kilometres from the hospital. One doctor and one male patient were injured in the attack outside the hospital.
As per CNA, he fled the scene of the attack on a motorcycle and was donning a black jacket and pants and a motorcycle helmet. The police have urged 300 residents in the area near the post office to evacuate.
Another report by Times Now claims that images on television showed the gunman inside the post office in a baseball cap and a white shirt under a dark coat with what looked like a gun attached to a cord around his neck.
10 post office staff members are feared trapped inside the building. The city authorities posted on their website, “At approximately 2.15 pm today (0515 GMT), a perpetrator has taken hostages and holed up at a post office in Chuo 5-chome area of Warabi city…the perpetrator is possessing what appears to be a gun.”
Reports have also claimed that the gunman may be carrying kerosene with him. Authorities have urged citizens to adhere to police instructions and evacuate as instructed.
Toda Mayor Fumihito Sugawara confirmed that a man “suspected of carrying a gun” was barricaded inside the post office. He warned the residents not to go near the area.
CNN cited Japanese broadcaster NHK saying that the police were alerted to the incident at 1 pm local time, an hour later, an eyewitness reported hearing a sound like gunfire.
