Elderly 66 Years Hostage Three Medical Workers 11 Hours: One Doctor Dies, Two Taken To Hospital

JAKARTA - A 66-year-old man attacked three medical workers who visited his home on Thursday night, shot at least one of them with what appeared to be a hunting weapon, and took another hostage, police said, adding one hostage was later confirmed dead.

The three visited the house at around 9 pm, apparently to offer condolences over the recent death of the suspect's mother. They are responsible for home medical care for the mother, investigative sources said, citing Kyodo News on January 28.

The 11-hour standoff ended Friday morning after police stormed home in Fujimino, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, Japan and arrested the man identified as Hiroshi Watanabe.

The dead hostage was 44-year-old doctor Junichi Suzuki, police said. The medical worker who was shot, a 41-year-old physiotherapist, remains unconscious.

A third medical worker was also taken to hospital after being injured with tear gas spray, police said.

A resident in the neighborhood called the police after hearing a loud explosion at about the same time. Local emergency workers also received reports from someone who said two people had been shot.

Police spoke to Watanabe by phone during the standoff. The suspect made no special demands, they said, citing him as saying the hostage was "fine", and "I want to help him. Please save him."

Police did not speak directly to the hostage and could not confirm his condition.

According to neighbors, Watanabe lived with his bedridden mother and had little contact with them.

"I got the impression that she was really devoted to taking care of her mother", the 74-year-old said.

Watanabe moved to the area with his mother several years ago, said a 91-year-old man. She remembers the man saying, she can't take part in housing activities because she has to take care of her mother.

With the standoff continuing into Friday morning, local authorities have evacuated some 110 residents. Meanwhile, the nearby elementary and junior high schools will be closed for the day.

A 19-year-old student who lives nearby heard a loud bang while at home on Thursday night. After being notified of the incident by a police officer, he rushed to the nearest elementary school designated as the evacuation site and then headed to another place further afield in the junior high school.

"I'm scared. I want to leave the area immediately", he said.

A 54-year-old man watched police cars line the street. "I thought it was a fire, but I was surprised to hear people were evacuating. Usually in a quiet area", he said.