All 34 victims identified a week after Kyoto studio arson attack

July 25, 2019

Kyoto--The police department of Kyoto Prefecture, western Japan, said Thursday that it has identified all 34 victims of the arson attack on a Kyoto Animation Co. studio that occurred a week ago.

The police used DNA profiling for the identification work. At the time of the assault, there were 74 people inside the three-story building in the city of Kyoto, and the whereabouts of 13 men and 21 women, most of whom are in their 20s or 30s, had not been confirmed.

The police department has started to return the bodies of the victims to their relatives.

The department is discussing with Kyoto Animation whether, when and how to reveal the identities of the deceased. The company has requested the police not reveal the victims' names, claiming that such disclosure "may infringe the privacy of the bereaved families and cause great harm on them."

The attack occurred around 10:30 a.m. on July 18 (1:30 a.m. GMT). Shinji Aoba, a 41-year-old man, allegedly entered the studio from its main entrance, scattered gasoline and ignited it while screaming, "You die!"

The fire was exacerbated as the gasoline apparently turned to gas to create an explosion of flames.

Aoba, who himself suffered severe burns in the attack, was held by police on a road near the studio.

He was initially transported to a hospital in the city of Kyoto and then relocated to a medical institution in neighboring Osaka Prefecture, where he underwent skin graft surgery. Aoba continues to be treated in an intensive care unit, and his condition remains critical, according to informed sources.

The police are waiting for Aoba's recovery before arresting him to take into questioning. Jiji Press