OSAKA - Police in Osaka arrested a 48-year-old man on October 22nd after a tense 14-hour standoff in which he allegedly held a woman at knifepoint inside an apartment. A special tactical unit forced entry into the residence late at night, ending the standoff without injuries.
The incident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. at an apartment in Hirakata City, where investigators from the Osaka Prefectural Police had gone to question the man in connection with a theft case. According to police, when the investigators called out to the man, later identified as Susumu Suetsugu, they saw through a window that he was threatening a woman with a knife.
Inside the apartment, Suetsugu reportedly pointed a knife at his common-law wife, a woman in her 40s, shouting, "I'll stab you!" before barricading himself inside.
A nearby resident recalled: "When I tried to leave the house, a detective told me not to go out, saying I might not be able to come back. I never imagined something like this could happen—it was frightening."
Police negotiators attempted for hours to persuade Suetsugu to release the woman, contacting him via mobile phone. He made no demands for money or other items, only saying, "Go away," according to investigators.
By around 5:30 p.m., the situation had reached a stalemate, and authorities tightened security around the area. At approximately 10 p.m.—13 hours after the initial report—the Osaka police’s elite special unit, known as the Mobile Assault and Arrest Team (MAAT), began preparing for a forced entry.
Finally, around 10:46 p.m., officers broke open the apartment door and balcony window with crowbars and stormed inside. Suetsugu was found lying on a futon and reportedly shouted, "What do you think you’re doing!" before being apprehended on the spot.
The woman was safely rescued and was unharmed. Two knives believed to have been used in the incident were confiscated from a table inside the room. Police are continuing to investigate Suetsugu’s motive and the events leading up to the 14-hour standoff.
Source: YOMIURI
