TOKYO (AP) – Japanese police were investigating the Kyoto animation studio on Friday destroyed by an arsonist who was allegedly resentful and who spoke that he and others were being robbed. The fire killed 33 people and caused the dismay of anime fans in Japan and around the world. The suspect fled, but was pursued by studio employees who eventually caught him. He fell in front of a house and was immediately surrounded by police.
“They always steal. It’s their fault,” he told the officials who asked why he had started the fire, according to a witness who witnessed the scene in front of his house. The man complained bitterly that something had been stolen, the witness told NHK and other media. HELP US Click the Google News star and follow usWitness statements and other reports indicate that the man was grudge against the Kyoto Animation studio, but the police simply said that the suspect, a 41-year-old man who remained hospitalized, he was a Resident of Tokyo who did not work on site. Kyoto police later identified the suspect as Shinji Aoba, according to NHK station and other media outlets. The reports, attributed to an anonymous source, say Aoba purged three and a half years in prison for shoplifting in 2012 and suffered from mental disorders. Police refused to confirm those reports. The man told police that he started the fire because he believed that “Kyoto Animation) was stealing novels,” according to the Japanese press. It was unclear whether he had previous contact with the study. The company founded in 1981 and known as KyoAni had a mega-success with an anime series about high school girls and formed aspiring in the trade. The attack left 36 wounded, some of which are extremely serious. It caused strong manifestations of pain for the dead and wounded, mostly employees of the studio. About 70 people were in the three-story building in Kyoto, Japan’s former capital, at the time of the attack on Thursday. The arsonist arrived with two jerry cans of flammable liquid. He shouted, “move!” as he walked through the front door, spilled the liquid and triggered a lighter, according to officials and the press. Police confiscated gas canisters, a backpack and knives, but did not confirm that they belonged to the arsonist.
The flames blocked the front door and quickly invaded the interior space, spread down the stairs to the third floor and caused the workers to panic. Some were able to get out the windows. Others tried, but couldn’t, get on the roof.
Kyoto Animation hits include 2008’s “Lucky Star,” 2011’s “K-On!” and 2009’s “Haruhi Suzumiya.” It has an upcoming premiere, the feature film “Violet Evergarden”, about a woman who lives from writing letters for clients. He performed supporting work for a 1998 feature film “Pokemon” and a video for “Winnie the Pooh”.
