A 59-year-old man was sentenced Monday to 15 years in prison for shooting and wounding two police officers in a standoff at his Tokyo apartment after a quarrel with his wife.
The Tokyo District Court convicted Ryosaku Mizushima of attempted murder and obstructing justice.
Mizushima barricaded himself in his apartment in Itabashi Ward with three shotguns and a rifle on the night of June 17, 2003, after quarreling with his wife over a television program, according to the court. The woman escaped unharmed and notified police, who came to the apartment, starting the standoff.
Mizushima shot at four police officers who stormed the apartment the following morning, wounding two of them, the court said.
Presiding Judge Hiroshi Narikawa noted that shooting police at such close range was a dangerous and malicious act that also posed a huge threat to nearby residents.
Mizushima was shot and seriously wounded by officers during the incident. He was arrested and indicted after his wounds healed. He pleaded guilty to the charges during his trial.