Shinzo Abe

Tokyo, July 08: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was attacked in broad daylight. He was shot at while he was addressing an election rally in the city of Nara on Friday.

The 67-year-old former leader was making a speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate’s election campaign when the attack happened.

Videos and photos of the shooting have gone viral on social media.

Shinzo Abe, who was Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, collapsed after he was shot at while addressing a crowd in Nara prefecture on Friday, state media said in a report, adding that the police have arrested a suspect.

Also Read: Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe shot in chest during event in Nara, rushed to hospital

According to state broadcaster NHK, the incident took place at around 11. 30 a.m. (local time) near the Yamatosaidaiji Station in Nara city while the 67-year-old former leader was making a speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate’s election campaign.

The local fire department says that Abe is in cardiopulmonary arrest and is scheduled to be transferred by medevac to Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara City in the prefecture.

According to the media reports, the term cardiopulmonary arrest is often used before death is officially confirmed in Japan.

The NHK report further said that a gunshot was heard on-site and Abe was seen bleeding.

Meanwhile, the police have said that Abe appeared to have been shot from behind with a shotgun, the state broadcaster reported.