Police outpost in Toyama attacked by student

NHK -- Jan 25

A man has attacked and wounded a police officer at an outpost in Toyama City on the Sea of Japan coast, central Japan. Police have arrested the man on suspicion of attempted murder.

The assailant has been identified as 22-year-old Masaki Maeda, a student of the University of Toyama.

Maeda entered the police outpost on Thursday afternoon and hit officer Hiroki Yamamoto's head with a hammer and slashed his face with a knife.

But the police officer overpowered the assailant and arrested him.

Police say the suspect appeared at the site saying he had brought a lost article and then suddenly attacked the officer while he was filling in some document on it.

The police officer is reportedly being treated at a hospital and is said to be conscious and able to speak.

His family members who live with him at the police outpost were reportedly not present at the time.

Police are questioning the suspect.

A similar attack occurred in Toyama in June last year, when a man killed an officer at a police box and robbed him of his handgun. The assailant then went to a nearby elementary school and killed a security guard there.

Jan 25 (ANNnewsCH) - 富山市の駐在所に刃物などを持った男が押し入り、警察官がけがをしました。 警察によりますと、24日午後3時ごろ、富山市の池多駐在所に刃物とハンマーを持った男が現れて警察官に襲い掛かりました。警察官1人が頭にけがをしました。