Footage of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination Friday was shared online and showed limited security surrounding him as he spoke.
The video appears to show the first shot missing Abe, 67, but the second reportedly struck him in the neck as he turned to look behind him. The attack led to excessive bleeding and cardiopulmonary arrest, and he later died in hospital.
Abe seemed to have limited security as he gave his campaign speech, leading to the National Police Agency investigating possible flaws in his overall security, according to the Japan Times. Japanese officials are reportedly protected by a special branch of plainclothes police officers in Tokyo, according to Reuters.
The video of #ShinzoAbe assassination. First bullet missed him, second hit him near the neck as he turned noticing the loud noise which led to a hole in the heart. While he had personal security guards all around, overall security seems to be problematic.pic.twitter.com/ewOExQKwBv
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 8, 2022
The special branch of officers go through comprehensive training, including hand-to-hand combat, the outlet continued.
NPR called Abe a “divisive arch-conservative” in a now-deleted tweet. “CBS Mornings” referred to Abe as a “polarizing… right-wing nationalist,” shortly after his death.
Abe was the longest-serving prime minister, holding his office from 2006 to 2007 and then again from 2012 to 2020. He retired from the position in 2020 to undergo IV treatments for ulcerative colitis. (RELATED: Remains Of Japanese Porn Star Discovered In Horrific Suspected Murder)
Japanese police arrested one suspect who reportedly told them he built a homemade gun to kill Abe. Video footage appeared to show the gun lying on the ground after Abe was assassinated.