Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a divisive arch-conservative and one of his nation’s most powerful and influential figures, has died after being shot during a campaign speech Friday in western Japan.
67 year old Abe, was shot from behind minutes after he started his speech.
He was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment but was not breathing and his heart had stopped. Hospital officials said he was later pronounced dead despite emergency treatment that included massive blood transfusions.
Police arrested the suspected gunman at the scene of an attack that shocked many in Japan, which is one of the world’s safest nations and has some of the strictest gun control laws anywhere.
