2007 Sasebo shooting

2007 mass shooting in Japan 2007 Sasebo shooting Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan 2007 12 14 yes 33.180 N 129.724 E 7:00 p.m. GMT+9 Mass shooting, double-murder, murder-suicide, attempted pedicide Beretta AL391 shotgun 3 (including the perpetrator) 6 Masayoshi Magome (馬込政義) Uncertain, presumed despair over personal debt Case closed without indictment in March 2008 On 14 December 2007, a gunman opened fire in a gym in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, killing two people and wounding six others, among them two children.2007-12-14 Gunman opens fire at Japanese gym and kills two en Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-shooting-idUST17357120071214 2022-06-18 2007-12-16 Three dead in Japan shooting https://www.theage.com.au/world/three-dead-in-japan-shooting-20071216-ge6iiz.html 2022-06-18 The Age en2007-12-14 Gunman flees after shooting up Japanese sports club CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/gunman-flees-after-shooting-up-japanese-sports-club-1.663354 2022-06-17 37-year-old Masayoshi Magome (Japanese: 馬込政義, Magome Masayoshi), the shooter and a longtime resident of Sasebo, was found dead in a nearby Catholic church the following day, having apparently died by suicide. 2007-12-16 Suspect in gym shootings found dead at church https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/12/16/national/suspect-in-gym-shootings-found-dead-at-church/ subscription https://web.archive.org/web/20220618015220/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/12/16/national/suspect-in-gym-shootings-found-dead-at-church/ 2022-06-18 2022-06-18 The Japan Times en-US2005-12-15 Suspected Japanese gym shooter found dead https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2007/12/15/Suspected-Japanese-gym-shooter-found-dead/24641197776777/ 2022-06-18 UPI en2007-12-15 Japan: Sports centre gunman found dead https://www.irishexaminer.com/world/arid-30340731.html 2022-06-18 Irish Examiner en Attack At around 7:00 p.m. in local time, a masked man dressed in camouflaged clothing and armed with a Beretta AL391 shotgun2017-02-14 特殊急襲部隊SAT解説 https://policemaniacs.com/sat-%E7%89%B9%E6%AE%8A%E6%80%A5%E8%A5%B2%E9%83%A8%E9%9A%8A/3/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20211210082209/https://policemaniacs.com/sat-%E7%89%B9%E6%AE%8A%E6%80%A5%E8%A5%B2%E9%83%A8%E9%9A%8A/3/ 2021-12-10 2022-06-17 PoliceManiacs.com Japanese opened fire in the Renaissance Sports Club during a swimming class, firing a total of ten shots. A 26-year-old woman, swimming instructor Mai Kuramoto (Japanese: 倉本舞, Kuramoto Mai), died at the scene, and a critically wounded 36-year-old man, fishing equipment maker Yuji Fujimoto (Japanese: 藤本勇司, Fujimoto Yuji), later died at the hospital. Another six people were injured, two of them girls aged 9 and 10. The gunman briefly held remaining gym-goers hostage before fleeing. thumb|312x312px|Funakoshi Catholic Church in Sasebo, where the suspected shooter was found dead the morning after the shooting took place, pictured in 2024. Search for the perpetrator The prefectural police departments of Nagasaki and neighboring Fukuoka responded to the incident shortly after, with Fukuoka deploying its Special Assault Team unit. Sasebo police began probing the homes of known shotgun owners in the city, reaching the home of licensed firearms owner Masayoshi Magome, where only his parents were present. They told officers that their son had recently asked them which church his family's graves were. Officers proceeded to said church and searched the surrounding area, but failed to locate Magome.2007-12-18 ５人前後、ジムに誘う　佐世保・乱射事件の馬込容疑者 http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1218/SEB200712180009.html https://web.archive.org/web/20071220222315/http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1218/SEB200712180009.html 2007-12-20 2025-12-29 Asahi Shimbun At 1:00 a.m., Magome's car was found parked outside a different Catholic church about 1 kilometer south of the previous church. At 6:00 a.m., a gunshot was heard inside, and at 7:30 a.m. his body was found, clutching a shotgun. Perpetrator Masayoshi Magome (Born 1970) was a 37-year-old unemployed man who lived with his parents and had a history of mental illness.佐世保乱射の馬込容疑者、夜中に異常な言動も : 佐世保銃乱射 : 特集 : YOMIURI ONLINE（読売新聞） http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/fe8700/news/20071215i103.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080118095233/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/fe8700/news/20071215i103.htm 2008-01-18 2026-05-17 www.yomiuri.co.jp ja His family was Catholic but he did not attend church services regularly. He had a permit for three shotguns and an air gun. Local police allegedly received several past complaints from Magome's neighbors that he exhibited erratic and concerning behaviors, such as roaming the city while carrying his guns and appearing at their houses late at night asking to use their bathrooms.佐世保銃乱射の馬込容疑者、周囲は「変わった男」の印象 - 社会 http://www.asahi.com:80/national/update/1215/SEB200712150017.html https://web.archive.org/web/20071217113225/http://www.asahi.com:80/national/update/1215/SEB200712150017.html 2007-12-17 2025-12-29 Asahi Shimbun ja 2007-12-17 Media in Japan calls for tighter gun control https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/573352 2022-06-18 Taiwan NewsFebruary 2024 yes The only measure that had been taken by the police in response to these complaints was an informal request for Magome to voluntarily hand over his guns, which he did not comply with.馬込容疑者、銃部品を警察に提出せず…住民の通報生きず http://www.yomiuri.co.jp:80/feature/fe8700/news/20071218i204.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080119203908/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp:80/feature/fe8700/news/20071218i204.htm 2008-01-19 2025-12-29 Yomiuri Shimbun ja Investigation Investigators claimed that Magome was acquainted with Kuramoto and Fujimoto, the two people killed, and often ate at Fujimoto's home. It was discovered that Magome had invited around five different people via telephone and email, including Fujimoto, for meeting at the gym at the time and date the shooting ultimately took place. Fujimoto was the only person invited who had shown up.乱射容疑者、３友人を何度も誘う　電話・メールで http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1215/SEB200712150043.html https://web.archive.org/web/20071218185552/http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1215/SEB200712150043.html 2007-12-18 2025-12-30 Asahi Shimbun ja Witness testimony, including Kuramoto's boyfriend, who was present during the attack, claimed that she appeared to be the Magome's main target, as she was chased down by him and shot at close range. Kuramoto's boyfriend also claimed that Magome had been stalking her for some time.馬込容疑者、交際男性を押しのけ倉本さん追いかける http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/fe8700/news/20071223i201.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080119205826/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/fe8700/news/20071223i201.htm 2008-01-19 2025-12-29 Yomiuri Shimbun ja Investigators concluded that Fujimoto was shot for attempting to intervene, for which his family was paid ¥3.77 million (approximately US$35,330 at the time) by the Nagasaki Prefectural Police as compensation.藤本さんの遺族に災害給付金　県警が制止を「協力行為」と認定 http://www.nagasaki-np.co.jp:80/press/saseboransya/kiji/76.shtml https://web.archive.org/web/20081214155257/http://www.nagasaki-np.co.jp:80/press/saseboransya/kiji/76.shtml 2008-12-14 2025-12-29 www.nagasaki-np.co.jp Due to his death, prosecutors dropped the case against Magome and ceased investigations in March 2008. His motive was presumed to be "despair over mounting debts," but they were unable to ascertain details. 2008-03-07 Dead Nagasaki shooter's case closed https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/03/07/national/dead-nagasaki-shooters-case-closed/ https://web.archive.org/web/20220618015221/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/03/07/national/dead-nagasaki-shooters-case-closed/ 2022-06-18 2022-06-18 The Japan Times en-US References Category:Mass shootings in Japan Category:2007 murders in Japan Category:2007 mass shootings in Asia Category:December 2007 in Japan Category:Sasebo Category:Mass shootings involving shotguns