Suspect in Sapporo Convenience Store Incident, Which left 1 Dead and 2 Injured, Says He Had No Grudge Against Victims

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:09 JST, February 27, 2024 

The suspect in the incident at a convenience store in Kita Ward, Sapporo, on Sunday which left one employee dead and two injured, stated during questioning that he had no grudge against the three victims. This has prompted the authorities to carefully examine the motive behind the crime. Details emerged revealing that the suspect, Hirotaka Miyanishi, a 43-year-old unemployed man residing in Kita Ward, had been relentlessly pursuing the three victims at the time of the incident.

The incident occurred at the Seicomart Kita 31-jo branch. As reported by Hokkaido Police and representatives from the convenience store. The situation at the time was captured by the store’s security cameras. Miyanishi, after wandering around the isles in the store for some time, stabbed a male clerk, 60, behind the cash register.

He then stabbed a female clerk, 58, near the display shelves, and upon noticing the disturbance, Keisuke Ohashi, 40, emerged from the storage room, who was chased by Miyanishi back into the storage room and where he too was stabbed. Miyanishi then went outside the store where the first male victim who fled to but was then apprehended by the police.

Multiple knives were found at the scene, indicating premeditation with a strong intent to kill. However, according to Hokkaido Police, there were moments during the initial interrogation where communication with the suspect became extremely difficult. Consequently, an examination in relation to a possible mental disorder will be conducted before a focus on Miyanishi’s criminal responsibility can be investigated.