Crime Six people injured in knife attack near Mito Station

Last night, six people were injured in a knife attack near JR Mito Station in Ibaraki Prefecture, with two men sustaining serious injuries. The suspect, 48-year-old Hirokazu Shiobara, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. The incident occurred at approximately 6 p.m. on a pavement along a national highway, approximately 800 metres from the station. Eyewitness video captured the moment two men subdued Shiobara, during which a long, stick-like object could be seen in the struggle. Another image showed a man lying on the ground in a pool of blood. At the same time, a shirtless bystander used clothing to staunch bleeding from the man's injured elbow.


One witness who provided first aid said, "One man was on the road with cuts to his forehead, abdomen, and wrist. Another was on the sidewalk with a deep wound to his wrist." Police reported that Shiobara used a bladed weapon to attack six people—both men and women—ranging in age from 27 to 75, apparently targeting their arms. Among the victims, a 70-year-old man and a 65-year-old man suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and remained conscious.

Shiobara, who claims to live near the scene, is accused of attempting to murder the 70-year-old man by slashing his face and wrist with a knife. A nearby office worker said a colleague witnessed the attack. "He had two or three long-bladed weapons and was wearing goggles. He was chasing someone when a man called out, 'What are you doing?' and then the attacker turned and stabbed him." Another witness said Shiobara was wearing a survival mask and had a survival knife about 30 centimeters long hanging from his waist. "I took off the belt, removed the knife, and threw it aside," the witness recalled. The attack occurred during the evening rush hour, and aerial footage showed bloodstains on the sidewalk and police investigators examining the area. One of the recovered weapons was found in a brown case, with several others nearby. An eyewitness recounted the frightening scene: "The knife was quite long. He was swinging it around. When one man fell, he got up and was attacked again. Even when he tried to crawl away, the attacker came after him. It was terrifying."

Click to expand...

The attack comes as the area readies for the Mito Komon Festival this upcoming weekend. "It sends chills down my spine thinking about if something similar were to happen during the festival," a man in his 30s living nearby said.

Click to expand...