Trainee Shoots 3 Soldiers At Japanese Army Firing Range

TOKYO (AP) — Officials say an 18-year-old army trainee shot three fellow soldiers at a firing range on a Japanese army base, killing two of them. Police say the suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder at the scene in Gifu prefecture. The Ground Self Defense Force confirmed two of those shot were later pronounced dead at a hospital. Other people were apparently participating in the training when the shooting occurred. Japan has been known for its safety, with strict gun control laws, but high-profile violence has occurred in recent years. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was almost hit by a pipe bomb thrown at an election campaign venue in April. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in 2022 by an attacker using a handmade gun.