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A 16-year-old boy was attacked by a knife-wielding man in Chiba City early Monday morning.
According to police, the boy was talking with four friends in the grounds of an apartment block in Hanamikawa Ward at about 3 a.m. They told police that a man they did not know suddenly came up to them and slashed one of the boys on his left cheek, TBS reported.
The man fled the scene and the knife believed to be used in the attack was found nearby, police said. The assailant was described as being in his 30s and about 180 cms tall.
Police said that other residents in the apartment block told them that the boys were making a lot of noise, including possibly letting off fireworks, TBS reported. Investigators believe the assailant might be a resident who became exasperated over the noise.
© Japan Today
17 Comments
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Bob Sneider
@disillusioned
great idea! I'll use this next time I see teens prowling around my apartment complex at night. Too bad I'm a foreigner myself..
nath
They arrested the guy yesterday, and as a funny twist, one of the news programs covering the story, had actually interviewed the same guy a few hours earlier. He looked like he was on crack, or at least a few screws loose - i think the news crew actually sensed that too, because they even asked him "you arent the guy they are looking for, are you?"
Complete nutcase. First thought was that article about "what to do when someone goes bezerk" - seems like the type.
fds
if the police showed up, the kids would just take off and be back tomorrow.
sensei258
I agree with Fadamor. That story is BS. If somebody was pissed about the noise, they yell at the delinquents first. Suddenly appearing, slashing, then leaving wouldn't happen.
mrmalice
@papigiulio it's not just there overhere we have had an increasing number of what the media calls 'family dramas' in the last few years. People just go mad and kill off the whole family before committing suicide or worse, the last one i heard of was a mother who killed her own little daughter to protect her from the aggressive father, then she cut her up in pieces and stored her in the freezer ... talk about horrible. I think it takes quite a strong mind to make it today without going bonkers
nath
Who uses the logic, hey those kids are making too much noise, I think I'll go out and cut them. Ever heard of asking first. Of course everyone here needs to mind their own business and look the other way when they see things they should correct.
Disillusioned
Actually, the police do respond to noise and disturbances very quickly. You just have to tell them it is foreigners and they are they in a flash and in numbers.
Dunno about this case though. I'm sure these boys were being noisy as do all 16 year olds, but they didn't deserve to have some loon slash one's face. That is just sick! Hope they find him before he does it again
Speed
No way! If a bunch of punk high schoolers (dropouts?) were shooting off fireworks in front of my apartment at 3:00 on Monday morning I'd take a bat to them! What were they thinking? That people would put up with that crap?
Fadamor
In a week, we'll find that the kids were goofing around with a knife and one got accidentally slashed. In order to avoid culpability, the knife was ditched and the "man" was created.
mimitchy
When you are out having fun at 3.AM in the morning, you are no longer a kid and must accept the risks and consequences of partaking in such adventure. This 16-year old learnt the hard way. I hope the wound isn't too deep.
smithinjapan
"Investigators believe the assailant might be a resident who became exasperated over the noise."
No excuse, as much as all of us have experienced similar noise problems. Maybe if the police went about doing their jobs and preventing some of the shenanigans like this kids were said to be carrying out this wouldn't have happened. I see it EVERY day -- kids lighting off bottle rockets in the wee hours in parks where signs clearly state "No ball play, no fireworks, no BBQs", etc., and yet there they are, playing baseball and lighting fireworks where they are not supposed to and no one does anything. Suddenly there's a random attacker and everyone has an opinion on the matter after the fact. Reminds me of when some kid is beaten or starved to death by his parents and suddenly the neighbours all come out and talk about how worried they always were, and how they heard screaming (but did nothing).
Admittedly, though, we know the police would do nothing if called about noise disturbances.
ExportExpert
3 am is too late for kids this age to be out making noise while others are trying to sleep for work the next day, parents were absent in control resulting in one of the residents losing his rag and slashing these noisey little brats.
My 16 year old outside making a noise at 3 am would get a short shift from me and so should others.
Parents as much to blame as the boys but ultimately the nutter with the knife is the one to blame.
tairitsuiken
I can fully understand these kids being a pain in the ass, making noise this early/late but... Knifing them? Why go to such extremes? This guy didn't have a mouth? He couldn't just TELL them to shut the hell up?
All the pent up emotions in this country...
SNAP!
papigiulio
Hmmm 16 years old is NOT that young to be outside at 3 am.
The problem is that in the Japanese society, nobody COMPLAINS. Everybody stores their complaints and stress inside until at one point it all becomes too much. The brain explodes and the person goes mental.
combinibento
A "knife-wielding man," eh? When I see this phrase I imagine a man moving around like the Tasmanian Devil cartoon character, knifes in each hand... Looks less like a random nutter attack and more like a very angry resident who decided those boys needed some street justice.
Greapper1
16 years old hanging out on with friends at 3am on a school night
nice parenting....
Maria
How come none of the residents called the coppers first to complain about the noise?