A 15-year-old junior high school student was arrested after a man was stabbed on a street in Hino, western Tokyo, with the arresting officer firing his gun once in an attempt to stop the boy from advancing toward him, police said Tuesday.
According to the Tokyo police, the officer was responding at 11 p.m. Monday to a call about a man who had been stabbed when he encountered the male student with a knife at the scene, and the boy charged at the officer while mumbling nonsensical words.
The police said they are investigating the boy's mental state to see if he can be held criminally responsible.
When the student did not stop despite a warning, the officer fired his gun once toward the ground near the boy, the police said. The student still hurled himself against the officer but was eventually subdued, they said.
No one was reported injured by the weapon's discharge.
The student, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, was arrested for allegedly obstructing police duty.
The police also suspect the youth stabbed the man, who is in his 20s, and are continuing their investigation. The man sustained nonlife-threatening injuries to his right thigh.
The boy and the man apparently don't know each other, according to the police.
Regarding the officer's use of his gun, Tadanori Katsumi, head of Hino Police Station, issued a comment saying: "At this moment, we believe it was an appropriate act in executing duties. We will confirm what transpired."