Arsonist arrested in Kyoto Animation Arson Attack

Note: IN RESPECT FOR THE VICTIMS, FAMILY, AND WORKERS AFFECTED BY THE KYOTO ANIMATION ARSON, THE NAME OF THE ARSONIST WILL NOT BE LISTED. 

Late Thursday night Japan’s National News Agency NHK (Nippon Housou Kyoukai) around 9:21 pm the Kyoto Fire Department confirmed that around 33 people had died and 35 people were injured and transported to a hospital that was in the fire that engulfed Kyoto Animation’s 1st Studio Building earlier Thursday.

At 10:30 am on Thursday at Fushimi-Ku, Kyoto City, a man approached the building and began spraying a liquid-like Gasoline on the Kyoto Animation’s Studio building of the anime production company which caused an explosive fire. At the time of the fire, there were 70 Employees in the building, 33 were confirmed dead which according to NHK, 12 men, 20 women, and one unknown gender while 35 other people were injured and transferred to the hospital; 17 were seriously injured while 16 were hospitalized for treatment. The Arsonist was also taken to the hospital for treatment and was apprehended, Japan’s Prime Minister released a statement on Twitter, and praying for those who were affected by the Fire.

本日、京都で発生した放火殺人事件では、多数の死傷者が出ており、あまりの凄惨さに言葉を失います。お亡くなりになられた方のご冥福をお祈りいたします。負傷された皆様にお見舞いを申し上げるとともに、一日も早い回復をお祈りしています。

— 安倍晋三 (@AbeShinzo) July 18, 2019

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Kyoto Animation’s President, Hideaki Hatta had recently stated that starting a few years ago the Company began to receive death threats, the police are looking into an incident where a man bought 40 liters of gasoline near the 1st Studio building around 10:00 a.m. JST, 30 minutes before the fire broke out. Kyoto Animation’s 1st Studio building is located near Rokujizō Station in Uji City in Kyoto. Most of the studio’s mainline production takes place inside the building. The company also has a head office, a 2nd Studio building, a Tokyo Office, and the Animation DO building in other locations.

Fans have taken to Twitter to express support for the studio using the hashtags #PrayForKyoAni and #PrayForKyotoAnimation. Sentai Filmworks recently set up a GoFundme for the victims of the Kyoto Animation Arson. There has been an update on the Arson Attack, click here.

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