The attack occurred in Kanagawa Prefecture on May 17, 2021, and left two police officers dead. The officers had allegedly been responding to a noise complaint when the perpetrator, a 34-year-old man, began to stab them. The man then grabbed one of the officers’ guns and shot the other officer. The gunman was later apprehended by police.
The attack is highly unusual in Japan, where violent crimes, particularly those involving firearms, are extremely rare. Police are currently investigating the motivations of the attacker, but initial reports suggest that the incident was spurred by an argument between the gunman and one of the officers.