It has been reported that a shooting and stabbing attack by gunman in central Japan resulted in at least three fatalities.
Residents of the central Nagano prefecture’s Nakano city were told to stay indoors after a bystander reported seeing a man wearing a “camouflage outfit, a hat and mask, and sunglasses.”
According to NHK national television, the suspect stabbed a woman with a knife before police were called.
Few details were immediately available about the incident, but two police officers also died, and one person was injured.
It remains unconfirmed whether the victims had been stabbed or shot.
The gunman, who currently remains at large, shot what appeared to be a hunting rifle when officers arrived at the scene.
Police confirmed the attacker was now barricaded in a building.
Local authorities warned on Twitter earlier today: ‘Emergency, Currently, there is an incident in which a shotgun is fired in the Ebe area.
‘The suspect is currently on the run, so citizens should stay indoors.’
Gun violence is extremely rare in Japan, where ownership is tightly regulated and anyone seeking to own one must go through a rigorous process before a licence is granted.