Anime fans all over the world were horrified last year to learn that Kyoto Animation, which is responsible for beloved hits like K-On!, Haruhi Suzumiya, and Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, among many others, was attacked by an arsonist who set fire to the building, looking to harm or kill as many people as he could. Finally, ten months later, the suspect has been officially arrested.
Kyoto police arrested Shinji Aoba, age 42, with allegations of murder and arson. The suspect likely would have been arrested long ago, but Aoba was seriously injured in the attack himself, experiencing severe burns over the majority of his body. He was unconscious for weeks following the attack, and is still incapable of caring for himself at this point in time.
The attack is considered to be one of the absolute worst cases of arson and fire in Japan. With 70 employees working inside, 36 were killed, 30 were injured, and one of those harmed is still in the hospital to this day. The alleged suspect set fire to the lobby of the Kyoto Animation building with a flammable liquid, intending to magnify the damage done. It was a massive loss of life and talent, and an absolute tragedy for Japan and the anime community.
Now that the coronavirus restrictions in Japan have been lifted, the police took the opportunity to officially arrest Aoba and investigate the crime further. Prosecutors will be seeking criminal charges against Aoba within the next few weeks.
Source: JapanToday
