On May 25, a neighborhood in Ginza district, central Tokyo (Japan) was blockaded after a man suspected of spraying a strange gas at an ATM in a high-end shopping complex, injuring at least 25 people and hospitalizing a series of victims.
According to information from the Tokyo fire department, the incident occurred at noon when the suspect approached an ATM on the ground floor of a shopping center in Ginza, spraying an unidentified substance. Immediately after that, functional forces received a report of a "strange, pungent, cough-causing smell" appearing inside the shopping area.
When present at the scene, rescue forces recorded about 25 people affected. Among these, 19 people had to be hospitalized for monitoring and treatment. Victims were taken out by rescue workers on stretchers, while authorities deployed emergency measures to isolate the area.
Images at the scene show many fire trucks parked along the street while the entire area around the shopping center was blocked off. Residents and tourists were asked to stay away from the incident area.
A 70-year-old woman present at the shopping center recounted that she began to feel irritated in her throat as she approached the ATM area. According to this witness, the atmosphere inside the area quickly became chaotic.
Everyone was in a mess. I thought there might be a fire or something. When I walked into the ATM area, my throat was burning and numb," she said.
Japanese authorities have not yet announced the identity of the suspect as well as the exact nature of the substance used in the incident. Information related to the motive for the attack and criminal charges have also not been clarified.
