Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Has Been Assassinated

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after been shot in the city of Nara early Friday, according to national broadcaster NHK. 

He was taken to a hospital where no vital signs were noted, NHK had reported earlier in the day.

What Happened: NHK said on Friday its reporters heard two gunshots and saw Abe bleeding. The incident took place on a street as he was making a speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate’s campaign at around 11:30 a.m. (Japan Time).

Japan’s Mainichi newspaper reports that the former premier was shot from behind and entered into a cardiopulmonary arrest.

The assailant was arrested by police as he tried to flee the scene, according to the Mainichi.

Voting is scheduled to take place for the Japanese Diet’s upper house, the House of Councillors, on July 10.

Update: The alleged assailant has been identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, of Nara prefecture, according to an NHK broadcast monitored by Benzinga.

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Photo via Alexandros Michailidis on Shutterstock