Tetsuya Yamagami, who shot dead Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said he had originally planned to kill another person. NHK reports .
Under interrogation, Yamagami stated that he wanted to shoot the leader of a certain religious organization. However, later he decided to kill Abe, as he considered him involved in her activities. The name of the organization is not disclosed.
Yamagami also said that he went on the murder because of the financial problems of his family. According to him, they began after his mother donated a large amount to a group of people with whom Abe was allegedly associated.
The attempt on Abe's life was made on July 8 during a campaign in support of a comrade-in-arms who was re-elected to the upper house of the Japanese parliament. While Abe was giving a speech, he was shot twice with homemade weapons. “I didn't understand what happened. I saw [Abe] fall,” said politician Yoshio Ogita, who was standing next to him.
Eyewitnesses spoke of at least two shots. The police immediately detained the suspect – a 41-year-old local resident and former military Yamagami.
Abe, lifeless, was taken by helicopter to a hospital near Nara, where he soon died.