Akihabara victim was dialling 110 when she was attacked

Thursday 19th June, 12:37 PM JST

TOKYO —

Police said Thursday that Mai Muto, the 20-year-old university student who was one of seven victims killed in the June 8 rampage at Akihabara, was dialling 110 when she was fatally stabbed.

Muto, 21, a fourth-year female student of Tokyo University of the Arts, was allegedly stabbed in the abdomen by Tomohiro Kato. She was the sixth victim in the rampage. Police said that her cell phone record showed she had dialled 110 but when the operator answered, Muto was already off the line.

Latest 15 of 37 Total Comments Show All

meija at 03:29 PM JST - 19th June

Don't forget there were two parts to this. Firstly the truck hit people, then the guy went on a stabbing spree. Most likely sequence of events.

1) Kato runs his truck into people. 2) Muto thinks "oh my god, an accident! I better ring 110!" 3) Kato gets out of the truck, pulls a knife and starts stabbing.

Muto was probably unaware of part 3 until it happened. I doubt very much she'd be just standing around trying to use her keitai while some guy was running around stabbing people. Personally, I'd be shocked at the accident and it would probably take me a few moments to register that there was more going on, a few moments that could prove fatal.

It really is sad to think some guy drowning in self pity can snuff out 7 lives so quickly. Enjoy your days while you've got them.
cleo at 03:45 PM JST - 19th June

Haven't you noticed around the world that more and more crime is happening like this and that the weakening of the death penalty has emboldened these people.

The first part, yes. The second part, no. There have however been several would-be suiciders unable to do themselves in who have gone on a killing spree in the hopes of getting the death penalty - a kind of attempted suicide by courtroom.
badge123 at 04:26 PM JST - 19th June

The killer rammed his truck into the victims at about 12:33 p.m. and was apprehended at 12:35 170 meters away from the scene.

Most people, including the victim here probably just thought it was an accident, stopped to called 110 (which is the fire department/rescue ambulance number in Japan, she wasn't calling 119 which is the police).
badge123 at 04:31 PM JST - 19th June

I stand corrected, 110 is police 119 is fire, though she still probably was reporting it as an accident, rather then "there's a crazy man with a knife".
WilliB at 05:06 PM JST - 19th June

niseigaijin:

" If i was there I would run in his direction to provide him with a beating he could only imagine in his worst nightmare. "

Dear keyboard hero,

At 85 kilos and taking karate classes I would like to think that I am not a pushover myself. But frankly, I have no idea what I would do if a madman waving a dagger came running towards me. Maybe I would turn into Bruce Lee, but more likely I would run. But the internet is so liberating, isn´t it? Ensconced behind our computer screen, we can all be superhuman.
williamsmith at 05:56 PM JST - 19th June

It is very obvious that calling 110 cost her her life and that people who ignore those in trouble live longer.
Youdontknow at 06:03 PM JST - 19th June

badge123:

she wasn't calling 119 which is the police

Strange...when I call the cops, I always dial 110...119 gets me the fire service!
badge123 at 08:50 PM JST - 19th June

I already corrected myself, JT doesn't seem to have a EDIT button.

Notwithstanding, reading from a real Japan news source, Kato attacked everyone in a span of 30 SECONDS, before he was confronted by the koban officer. She sees an accident, she picks up her phone to report an accident, crazy guy immediately jumps out and stabs 12 people in 30 seconds, I doubt she even had a chance to turn and run away if she wanted to, some of the other victims were hit from behind, they probably didn't know what got them either.
Coligny at 09:35 PM JST - 19th June

For those thinking my comparison to movie is stupid. Let me phrase it differently:

You don't report on a situation before assessing it. Here the situation was clearly still developing and it seems that there was an uniformed police officer nearby. In this case, it's not even about training or else, it's just that you back up, try to understand what's going on and then try to see if / what you can do.
jonobugs at 10:45 PM JST - 19th June

Everyone seems to be assuming that she dialed before the attacker reached her. Maybe he stabbed her first. She may have had several seconds of life in her to try and phone or reach someone even after she was stabbed. In any case, it's really impossible to say what would have happened as none of us were there. Hindsight is always 20/20. If he stabbed that many people that quickly, he was probably running from person to person and I doubt she would have even seen him coming and been able to avoid his attack even if she hadn't been dialing.

For those of you who think that they would have stepped up and played hero or had the presence of mind to escape...do you really think you would have even known what was going on? Usually it takes some time to figure out what's happening. Remember, it was a crowded place! People wouldn't have been able to see what was going on until the last second. By that time, it may have been too late to avoid him.
Beelzebub at 11:42 PM JST - 19th June

A responsible citizen responds to emergencies by dialing 110. Unfortunately it's impossible to train people to deal with maniacs. When a crazed killer with a dagger runs amok, it's every man (and woman) for him/herself.
nycsamurai at 04:48 AM JST - 20th June

Nisegaijin

If i was there I would run in his direction to provide him with a beating he could only imagine in his worst nightmare.

There are those who would run, those who would dial 110, those who don't know what they would do, and those who know exactly what they would do. I wish there were more like you and the latter. I personally would do exactly what Muto chan did, after subduing the maniac with extreme injurious prejudice.
lipscombe at 09:51 AM JST - 20th June

>

It is very obvious that calling 110 cost her her life and that people who ignore those in trouble live longer

ahhh yes, I remember your previous charming post on this topic "there are no innocent victims,everybody dies for a reason, I avoid trouble by thinking positive thoughts and avoiding those in trouble" or something equally inhumane. altruism aint so bad, especially next time you are in trouble. oh hang on, of course, you avoid trouble and will do so your whole life. good for you.
WilliB at 05:11 PM JST - 20th June

nycsamurai:

" I personally would do exactly what Muto chan did, after subduing the maniac with extreme injurious prejudice. "

Ah, another keyboard hero. Topics like this seem to attract them invariably.
dennis0bauer at 01:03 PM JST - 24th June

wanderlust; She watched The news so the percentage of loony crimes is more than in foreign crimes. Everyday some crazy crimes happens here in Japan.

That is the point i tried to make.

The goverment will probably release new guidelines. If an accident occurs, go to a save distance call 110 while checking your surroundings then check the victims if it is safe to do.