Tokyo police placed a suspect on a nationwide wanted list and released his photo on Thursday in connection with an incident in which five people were injured. The man allegedly struck students with a hammer-like object in western Tokyo.
The suspect wanted on suspicion of attempted murder is 44-year-old Takabayashi Teruyuki, a resident of Fussa City whose occupation is unknown.
Investigators say the man allegedly struck a 17-year-old male high school student in the face multiple times in Fussa on Wednesday morning. The boy was seriously injured. Another high school student was also attacked and slightly injured.
The investigators say seven young people, including the two boys, had gathered near a restaurant at the time. They say police officers rushed to the scene, and the suspect threatened them with a survival knife and sprayed liquid at them using an agricultural sprayer. Three officers reportedly suffered injuries.
The attack occurred over about 10 minutes from 7:15 a.m. Police initially said the man barricaded himself inside his home nearby after the incident. Police officers entered the house about four and a half hours later, only to find the man had already fled. They say the suspect appears to have escaped through the back door of the house around 8 a.m., shortly after spraying the liquid.
Police say the man is 173 centimeters tall, has closely cropped hair and was wearing a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants. They are searching for him and are calling for information from the public.