Shinzo Abe, Japan’s former Prime Minister, shot at during election event, condition critical; suspect arrested.

Shinzo Abe, Japan’s former Prime Minister, was shot during an election speech on Friday morning. The incident took place in Nara town where he was addressing an election meeting ahead of Sunday’s polling for the Upper House of the Parliament.

According to reports, Abe was shot in the heart leading to failure. He was airlifted from the site and admitted to a hospital. As per the aired footage, Abe collapsed on the street, with several security guards running toward him.

Abe was holding his chest when he collapsed, with his shirt smeared with blood. Japan’s Nara city, is in grave condition and doctors are working very hard to save him, sitting Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told the press on Friday. The Nara fire department had earlier said that the 67-year-old Abe was in cardiopulmonary arrest before he was taken to the hospital.A 41-year-old man Tetsuya Yamagami, believed to be a resident of Nara City, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder for shooting at Abe, reported Japanese media house NHK quoting police sources.

Another media house Fuji TV reported that he is a former member of the maritime self-defence force. He appears to have shot at the ex-Prime Minister from behind with a shotgun. Shots were heard and a white puff of smoke was seen as Abe made a campaign stump speech outside a train station, NHK said.

Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, who had met with Shinzo Abe during his 2006 tenure as Japan PM, said his prayers are with Abe and his family.

“Deeply shocked by the tragic attack on my friend former Prime Minister Abe. My prayers are with him and family,” said Dr. Singh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed deep distress at the attack on former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, who is in a critical condition after being shot during a campaign speech on Friday in western Japan. Abe was airlifted to a hospital but he was not breathing and his heart had stopped, officials in Japan said.