Man flees after bludgeoning police officer with hammer in Shibuya

tokyoreporter.com -- May 26

Tokyo Metropolitan Police are searching for a man who bludgeoned an officer with a hammer in Shibuya Ward early Thursday, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun

At around 2:30 a.m., the man claimed to officers at a police box in the Honmachi area that he had been involved automobile accident.

According to the Yoyogi Police Station, a head patrol officer then left the police box to follow up on the claim. On the way to the scene, the man came up behind the officer and repeatedly beat him in the head with what is thought to have been a hammer.

The officer then chased the man over a distance of around 100 meters. However, the suspect fled the scene in black rental car. The officer received about 10 stitches in his head, police said.

Believed to be in his 60s, the suspect stands around 175 centimeters tall. At at the time of the incident, he was wearing a white breathing mask, gray pants and a blue coat.

Since there were no signs that an accident took place, police suspect that the incident was a planned attack.

Police are seeking his whereabouts of the man on suspicion of attempted murder.

Update: Police have arrested a man, aged in his 60s, on suspicion of attempted murder, reports TBS News (May 25).

May 26 (ANNnewsCH) - 警察官の頭をハンマーで殴り、逃走していた男が逮捕されました。 蛯谷芳郎容疑者(64)は24日未明、東京・渋谷区の交番に「車を電柱にぶつけた」と届け出た後、駆け付けた男性巡査長(38)の頭をハンマーで数回殴った疑いが持たれています。巡査長は頭に全治10日のけがをしました。