Kyoto Arson Attack: 33 People Dead After Attack On Japanese Animation Studio

Thirty-three people have been reported dead, as well as 35 injured, in a suspected arson attack at an animation studio in Kyoto, Japan.

Police said that the attack on Thursday at Kyoto Animation Co. building included 12 men and 20 women. There was also another individual whose gender was unknown.

The fire broke out at about 10:30 a.m. local time in the company’s 1st Studio building in Kyoto’s Fushimi-Ku district. A resident reported hearing a sound like an explosion coming from the studio, according to police.

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About 48 fire engines have been dispatched in the area and are currently trying to get the fire under control.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tweeted about the incident saying that he was left speechless at the “gruesomeness of the crime.” He also offered his condolences to victims.

A Kyoto prefectural police spokesperson said a 41-year-old man was suspected of carrying out the attack and also had a backpack containing several knives. The suspect poured, what appeared to be, gasoline around the studio and set it on fire.

A witness spoke with the police and said that the suspect shouted “Die!” when spilling the liquid at the building’s ground floor.

The suspect is currently in the hospital with serious burn injuries.

Kyoto Animation, also known as KyoAni, was founded in 1981 and produces animations as well as anime novels, comics and books.

The industry is famous for its work of Free!, manga series “K-On!,” the anime TV adaption of “Haruhi Suzumiya” and “Violet Evergarden,” that Netflix picked up in 2018.

The company had a philosophy posted on their website that includes keeping a “humanitarian” corporate culture and believes that “promoting the growth of people is equal to creating the brightness of works.”