Tokyo hammer attack: Suspect at large after hitting students, spraying police
Synopsis
A man in his 40s allegedly struck two high school students with a hammer and sprayed an unknown substance on three police officers near JR Fussa Station in western Tokyo before escaping through a back door. With a knife, hammer, and spray found at his home but no suspect in custody, Tokyo police have launched an attempted murder manhunt.
Key Takeaways
A man believed to be in his 40s allegedly attacked two high school students with a hammer near JR Fussa Station , western Tokyo, at 7:20 am on 29 April .
One student was injured in the face , another in the shoulder ; none of the injuries were fatal.
The suspect sprayed an unknown substance on three police officers before fleeing through a back door.
Police found a hammer, knife, and spray canister at the suspect's home but did not find the man.
A search is under way on suspicion of attempted murder ; the substance sprayed on officers has not been identified.
The attack follows a separate stabbing in Osaka's Dotombori area in February that killed one 17-year-old and injured two others.
A man is on the run in Tokyo after allegedly striking two high school students with a hammer and spraying an unknown substance at police officers in the Fussa area of western Tokyo on Wednesday, 29 April, according to local media reports. None of the injuries were reported as fatal, but police have launched a search on suspicion of attempted murder.
How the Attack Unfolded
The incident occurred on a street near JR Fussa Station, a suburban locality in western Tokyo, at approximately 7:20 am local time. A man believed to be in his 40s allegedly attacked two high school students — one sustaining an injury to the face and another to the shoulder — after his mother had warned a group of students talking on the street to keep quiet and they reportedly did not comply, according to Kyodo News Agency.
A witness in the residential area near the station made an emergency call, alerting authorities that a man armed with a hammer was attacking individuals on the street. Police officers responded to the scene and, while speaking with the suspect's mother, were reportedly threatened by the man with a knife he had brought from his home before he sprayed an unknown substance on them, injuring three officers.
Suspect Flees Through Back Door
Around noon, police raided the man's residence, believing he had barricaded himself inside. Officers found a hammer, a knife, and a spray canister at the property, but the suspect was not present. Security camera footage subsequently revealed that the man had apparently fled through a back door after spraying the officers, according to Kyodo News. The nature of the sprayed substance has not yet been officially identified.
Search Operation Under Way
Authorities are currently conducting a search operation for the suspect on suspicion of attempted murder. Police have not yet publicly named the individual. The motive, beyond the initial dispute over noise, has not been formally confirmed by investigators.
Context: Recent Violent Incidents in Japan
This incident comes amid a broader pattern of isolated violent attacks in Japan's urban areas. In February, a 17-year-old boy was killed and two others were injured after being stabbed in the Dotombori shopping area of central Osaka. The attacker in that case, believed to be in his 20s, reportedly knew the three victims and had a dispute with them shortly before the assault, according to police citing Kyodo News. That suspect also fled on foot and was at large at the time of reporting, as cited by Xinhua News Agency. While Japan consistently ranks among the world's safest countries, such incidents draw significant public attention given their rarity. The Fussa attack, involving both civilian victims and injured officers, is expected to prompt a review of police response protocols in suburban areas.
Point of View
If confirmed, would distinguish this from a spontaneous domestic dispute. Japan's enviably low crime rate can sometimes create a false sense of security in suburban policing; the fact that a suspect could evade a noon-time police raid through a back door raises questions about containment protocols. With the sprayed substance still unidentified, there is also an unresolved public health dimension that authorities have yet to address publicly.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Tokyo Fussa hammer attack on 29 April?
A man believed to be in his 40s allegedly struck two high school students with a hammer near JR Fussa Station in western Tokyo at around 7:20 am on 29 April 2025. He then sprayed an unknown substance on three police officers before fleeing, and remains at large as of the latest reports.
Were any of the victims killed in the Fussa attack?
No fatalities were reported. One student suffered an injury to the face and another to the shoulder. Three police officers were also injured by the unknown sprayed substance, but none of the injuries were described as fatal.
Why did the man allegedly attack the students?
According to police, the suspect's mother had warned a group of students talking on the street to be quiet, but they reportedly remained there. The man then allegedly attacked two of the students with a hammer, according to Kyodo News Agency.
What did police find at the suspect's home?
Officers who raided the residence around noon found a hammer, a knife, and a spray canister. However, the suspect was not present — security footage indicated he had fled through a back door after spraying officers.
Is this attack connected to the Osaka stabbing in February?
The two incidents are not reported to be connected. The Osaka attack in February involved a separate suspect believed to be in his 20s who stabbed three 17-year-old boys in the Dotombori shopping area, killing one. Both cases do, however, reflect a pattern of isolated violent incidents that have drawn public concern in Japan.
