KOBE - Two men were shot in separate shootings in western Japan's Kobe on Wednesday, leaving one dead, local authorities said.
Authorities received an emergency call at around 1:15 p.m. that a man had been "shot in the abdomen" in Kobe's Chuo Ward. About 20 minutes later, another emergency call was received reporting that a man had been "shot in the back" in the city's Hyogo Ward.
Police have arrested Naoto Kametani, a 79-year-old resident of the city, on suspicion of involvement in the shooting in Hyogo Ward. The suspect has also indicated his involvement in the other shooting.
He formerly had ties with an organized crime syndicate, according to an investigative source.
The victim in the Chuo Ward incident was unresponsive when taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later. The 54-year-old man shot in Hyogo Ward was conscious, according to police and fire authorities.
"I didn't think such a thing would happen in this quiet residential area," said a 73-year-old man who lives near the scene in Chuo Ward, where police had cordoned off the street with cones and tape.
