Kyushu police lieutenant dies after apparently shooting himself in head

Tuesday 07th April, 10:26 AM JST

FUKUOKA —

A 39-year-old male police lieutenant died on Monday from a gunshot wound to his head, believed to be self-inflicted, police said.

Police said an officer at the Wakamatsu police station in KitaKyushu City heard a gunshot at about 1 p.m. from the firearms storage area on the first floor, and rushed in. The lieutenant was on the floor, bleeding from his head, and with his service pistol by his side. He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead shortly after. A note addressed to his family expressing his gratitude for all they had done was found at the scene.

Police said that the lieutenant was conducting a routine firearms check by himself, a task normally carried out by at least two officers. They also said he had just been transferred from prefectural headquarters to the Wakamatsu police station after his promotion to lieutenant on March 31.

Kyodo News Service

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Latest 15 of 20 Total Comments Show All

cleo at 11:14 AM JST - 7th April

Who would enter a profession, ridiculed by many

Not many potential police recruits read JT, I imagine. Out in the real world, aka Japanese society, the police are not ridiculed.
ClassWarUK at 11:24 AM JST - 7th April

cleo: I made a truthfull point. Polls show the Japanese public completely distrust and have no sipport for the police. THat is the real world , the real Japanese society, where this man was obliged by idiotic proceedsured to go nuts and top himself. The way the police treta newcomers to the force is well knoen, thus my assumption that only a simpleton would join is valid.

Moderator: Your use of the word simpleton is inflammatory. A very poor contribution from you. Please lift the level of your posts.
bdiego at 11:27 AM JST - 7th April

cleo: You won't find much luck educating people here about the real world.

The article title could probably be better phrased as "apparent suicide". If we're going to speculate that he probably shot himself in the head, what we're really speculating is that he may have committed suicide. Nobody's suggesting the gun went off by accident - for that to happen the most likely entry point would be in the face rather than the temple.
pathat at 12:09 PM JST - 7th April

"Not many potential police recruits read JT, I imagine. Out in the real world, aka Japanese society, the police are not ridiculed."

C'mon, Cleo, don't make me laugh. We know you have someone near and dear to you who is a police officer, but try to be objective on this thread.

I'm surprised there are not more suicides committed by Japanese police officers, taking into account all they have to deal with in their daily lives: from the grueling work schedules to the low regard that an increasing number of Japanese have for them in recent years.
cleo at 12:42 PM JST - 7th April

ClassWarUK -

Got any links to those polls showing complete distrust and no support?

Any links to 'the way police treat newcomers' that is so well-known?
sharky1 at 01:25 PM JST - 7th April

Suicide in Japan is now pandemic. The government's efforts to help have failed. Time for communities to step in.
USNinJapan2 at 01:37 PM JST - 7th April

...the lieutenant was conducting a routine firearms check by himself, a task normally carried out by at least two officers.

If he was doing it alone then it was anything but 'routine'...
Disillusioned at 01:45 PM JST - 7th April

Why do Japanese cops carry guns at all? The only time they get used is to kill themselves (or to shoot an attacking dog).

I guess this death gets deducted from the 24% of adult loons in Japan.
sageb1 at 02:16 PM JST - 7th April

he made his parents proud getting a promotion, but something obviously was missing.
norinrad21 at 02:23 PM JST - 7th April

At least he did express his gratitude. May he RIP
Kapuna at 02:54 PM JST - 7th April

Police everywhere have a stressful job. They mostly are involved with the dregs of humanity. I hope his family will remember him, as he was, during a happier time in his life.
dennis0bauer at 03:16 PM JST - 7th April

i guess he was not "happy" with his promotion
Badge213 at 03:21 PM JST - 7th April

Not just Japanese police, but police officers world wide, divorce rates, and suicide rates (like members in the military) tend to be higher then the general public.
ANOTSUSAGAMI at 04:28 PM JST - 7th April

Cleo- I guess you would know, do the police here have a program in place to help officers who have experienced trauma or stress? My guess would be no considering the lack of mental health care in Japan, but I could be wrong. I think we all know about the hazing of the new guy/gal. Having experienced it myself in the Marines, and hearing horror stories from friends in law enforcement I can say pretty confidently that it happens everywhere. Usually they suck it up and go through it, though some can't take it and still others go too far with it. There's a possibility this was the result of such treatment. Even with proper measures taken to ensure officers' mental well being, things like this will still happen sadly. Though it would be a little reassuring to know that steps were taken to prevent this, steps that may lead to saving a life next time.
cleo at 08:21 PM JST - 7th April

I couldn't say anything about what programmes there are to help officers through trauma or stress - luckily, we've had no need to find out yet.

I don't think it's a given that whatever happens in the US Marines is bound to happen in the Japanese prefectural police forces - quite a jump of logic there, I think. I certainly haven't heard first-hand of any hazing, and I think I would have if there had been any.