Boris Johnson "Incredibly Sad" over Shinzo Abe’s Assassination

British Boris Johnson extended condolences to Japan over the death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, affirming that was “incredibly sad” at the news.

"His global leadership through unchartered times will be remembered by many. My thoughts are with his family, friends and the Japanese people," Johnson wrote on Twitter. "The UK stands with you at this dark and sad time."

https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1545337519314796544

Abe died Friday after being shot in the chest during a speech in the city of Nara on Friday in what seemed to be an assassination attempt.

"It's not a grudge against the political beliefs of former Prime Minister Abe," the Nara prefectural police quoted Yamagami as saying. His home was later searched by the police.

Videos of the incident showed two shots being fired. Japan is known to have one of the strictest gun control laws in the world.

Meanwhile, police arrested the man suspected of attacking Abe on suspicion of attempted murder, and the gun was confiscated, according to the broadcaster. NHK identified the man as Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of the Japanese city of Nara.

High school students who witnessed the shooting told NHK that a man came up from behind and fired two shots.

“The first shot sounded like a toy bazooka, and the man then stepped back after the first one,” a student said. After the attacker fired the second shot, a large amount of white smoke appeared, she added.