Ken Kaneko points a gun at police during a standoff in Saitama in this TV image.

Gunman dies after shooting himself in car in Saitama

Wednesday 04th June, 03:22 AM JST

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borscht at 10:16 PM JST - 3rd June

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the police were trying to capture this fool alive rather than Dirty Harry him into an early grave. They evacuated the neighborhood and told people to stay away so maybe they were hoping he'd have a change of heart and give himself up. I wonder if the police psychologist was talking to him, trying to get at the heart of the matter.

Having said that, eight hours in which school children are kept in their homes? Eight hours of being evacuated? The police allowed this guy to interrupt people's lives for eight hours? (Of course, eight hours vs a life is a no-brainer).
cleo at 10:28 PM JST - 3rd June

Of course the cops were wrong to play a waiting game where no one got hurt apart from the damage the perpetrator did to himself. They could have shown what great big dangling wrinkly things they had by starting off a car chase through crowded streets, maybe bashing into a few cars and knocking down a couple of tardy pedestrians along the way; or even have a running gun battle through the streets of Saitama. That would show the kids on their way to school how real men deal with petty pachinko thieves, and liven up the afternoon 'wide' shows for days to come.

It would also give the JT scoffers the change to complain about reckless, trigger-happy police endangering the lives and property of citizens, etc., etc., etc.

This is real life. Dangerous armed criminals aren't brought to justice during the time it takes to run a 30-minute TV programme.

As for the man who shot himself...what a stupid waste. All for the sake of a measly few hundred man. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
GrouchyGaijin at 10:46 PM JST - 3rd June

"It would also give the JT scoffers the change to complain about reckless, trigger-happy police endangering the lives and property of citizens, etc., etc., etc." They already are doing that by their bumbling incompetence. I propose letting qualified people carry concealed weapons, as I do overseas. Automatic weapons have a way of ensuring quiet neighbors!
northlondon at 10:53 PM JST - 3rd June

The guy was a career criminal who had spent a large part of his life in and out of jail. And he was wandering around the car with a shooter in his hand ! Why didn't they take him out there and then ? Isn't it a threat to someone's life when a police suspect is allowed to wander about with a gun ? Should have taken him out when they had the chance.
GrouchyGaijin at 11:01 PM JST - 3rd June

Apparently he had "3" guns, according to the Keystones....
USNinJapan2 at 11:13 PM JST - 3rd June

cleo

That's a pathetic attempt at playing devil's advocate, or at least I hope that's what you were trying to do. A competent police force wouldn't have wasted any time by taking the criminal down using non-lethal methods. If the gun-wielding fool was outside the vehicle most of the time like in the photo above, a few rubber bullets or even a tranquilizer dart would have made short work of him. If he was holed up inside the car they could have easily broken a window and tossed inside a tear gas canister that would have immediately incapacitated him. Ending the stand-off quickly using non-lethal means would most likely have also saved the shooter's life. The scenario would have been different had there been a hostage, but in this case it's inexcusable that the police took no decisive action for 8 hours, especially when they know very well that most stand-offs in Japan like this one usually end up with the criminal hurting himself or taking his own life.
KitsuneYoukai at 11:39 PM JST - 3rd June

I guess the guy didn't want to go to jail; better death than incarceration. If it were Russia, I'd say he would have been dead in a matter of minutes. Probably by 100 gun shots and if there were any hostages or pedestrians they would been goners too.

Perhaps it was a waste of time but even if the force is not up to speed on modern methods or technology I think they did what they should have and thought of the potential victims first then deal with the criminal. Time is relative and when it comes to death well, better be safe than sorry. What's one day.
medievaltimes at 12:20 AM JST - 4th June

A competent police force wouldn't have wasted any time by taking the criminal down using non-lethal methods.

I agree, but this is Japan. They will let him make threats for several hours, then let him shoot an officer, then let him hole up for several more hours then when he is on the ground with no weapon they will cautiously approach him with 25 officers and pat themselves on the back.
romulus3 at 12:27 AM JST - 4th June

man who was arrested after shooting himself in the head inside a car

hahaha. yet again another difficult case and arrest for the keystones to close despite overwhelming evidence. imagine being arrested after taking a bullet to the head.

"you are under arrest, you have the right to remain conscious while we deprive you of sleep,food, and water. despite the bullet in your head we will hold you for 21 days without legal aid. you can never call your family, we will attempt to shame them later."

romulus drank too much mulasis tonight.
ca1ic0cat at 01:29 AM JST - 4th June

I guess I don't understand why they had to arrest him after he shot himself in the head.

Seems a bit silly to me. But as was said, think of the money saved on the trial.
Badsey at 03:27 AM JST - 4th June

Not all criminals want to be saved.

I wish this criminal the best in his future life.

good luck
Youdontknow at 02:43 PM JST - 4th June

One less moron to worry about.
Nessie at 03:57 PM JST - 4th June

I guess I don't understand why they had to arrest him after he shot himself in the head.

Gets the stats up. Although interrogation is harder.
bushlover at 12:33 PM JST - 5th June

[As for the man who shot himself...what a stupid waste. All for the sake of a measly few hundred man. Stupid, stupid, stupid.]

No waste!! Now he can't spend someone else's money he stole. I congratulate him on avoiding arrest and the cops on arresting a dead man. Hope they keep up the good work. They sweated him out till he did the samurai thing. I see how they work. The shame him to death method till he does the honorable thing. That's no waste. That's good planning.
SpanishEyez37 at 03:00 PM JST - 8th June

Ok, where did he get the gun?