Abe Shooter’s Psychiatric Evaluation Ends

From Jiji

January 10 2023

NARA – The psychiatric evaluation period for the suspect in the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ended Tuesday.

The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, 42, was transferred to Nara-Nishi Police Station of the Nara prefectural police, the headquarters of the investigation, the same day.

The Nara District Public Prosecutors Office plans to indict Yamagami for murder by Friday, the last day of his detention period, based on the results of the evaluation to examine whether he is competent to take criminal responsibility.

Yamagami was arrested on murder charges at around 11:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m. GMT) on July 8 last year, when he allegedly shot Abe from behind while the former prime minister was giving a campaign speech near Kintetsu Railway Co.’s Yamato-Saidaiji Station in the western Japan city of Nara.

Nara public prosecutors began the psychiatric evaluation on July 25 that year. The evaluation period was initially slated to last for four months through Nov. 29, but it was extended following a request from the prosecutors.