A Japanese man has been sentenced to death after carrying out an arson attack that killed 36 people.Photo:STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty; Yomiuri Shimbun via AP
STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty; Yomiuri Shimbun via AP
A Japanese court has sentenced a man to death over an arson attack that killed 36 people.
The Kyoto District Court found Shinji Aoba guilty of murder and other crimes on Thursday, according to theAssociated Press.
Aoba set Kyoto Animation’s No. 1 studio on fire in July 2019. Along with killing 36 people, the attack left more than 30 other people badly burned or injured, per the outlet. Many of the victims were believed to have died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Shinji Aoba set Kyoto Animation’s No. 1 studio in Kyoto on fire in July 2019.Kyodo News via AP
Kyodo News via AP
The outlet also reported that Aoba, who was arrested in May 2020, had plotted a separate attack on a train station north of Tokyo a month before the arson attack, per CBS.
Aoba’s defense lawyers had argued that he was mentally unfit to be held criminally responsible for the crimes, per AP, but the court ruled him mentally capable of facing punishment for the attack on Thursday.
32 people were also injured in the attack.JIJI PRESS/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty
JIJI PRESS/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty
The court said in the ruling that Aoba had plotted the attacks after studying past arson cases, meaning the crime was premeditated and he was mentally capable.
“The attack that instantly turned the studio into hell and took the precious lives of 36 people, caused them indescribable pain,” the judge said, according to NHK, per CBS.
About 70 people were working in the building at the time of the attack.
Aoba was sentenced on Thursday.STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty
STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty
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Hours after the incident, Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeaupaid tribute to the victims in apost shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Canadians send our deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the arson attack in Kyoto that has taken so many innocent lives,” he wrote. “To the people of Japan – we’re mourning these tragic losses with you, and wishing a quick recovery to everyone who was injured.”
source: people.com
