Three months after the attack, KyoAni arsonist yet to recover enough to be arrested

From Jiji Press

Content has been edited to withhold the suspect’s name.

October 17th 2019

KYOTO  -The suspect in the deadly arson attack on Kyoto Animation Co., widely known as Kyoani, has yet to recover enough to be arrested even three months after the incident, investigative sources said Thursday.

The suspect, himself suffered severe burns in the July 18 attack on the major anime production company’s No. 1 studio in Fushimi Ward of Kyoto, in which dozens of people were killed and injured in flames, including prominent directors and leading animators.

The suspect was sent to a hospital in the western Japan city after the incident and later transferred to another hospital in Osaka Prefecture, south of Kyoto, repeatedly undergoing skin grafts and other surgeries at an intensive care unit.

Recovering gradually to a stable condition, he is now able to hold short conversations, sit up in the bed with support and sit in a wheelchair, the sources said.

The Kyoto prefectural police headquarters has obtained an arrest warrant on the suspect  on charges including of murdering 36 people and attempting to kill 34 others.