What Is A 'Blunderbuss' Gun Means? Shinzo Abe Shooter's Gun Looked Explained
The former prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated by a homemade gun that seemed to be a modified Blunderbuss.
He delivered a speech for a party candidate's campaign when someone shot him from behind at close range. Abe attended a political event near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Nara Prefecture.
Abe's death shocked the world, with numerous tributes and condolences flowing from leaders around the globe. He is the first Japanese prime minister to be assassinated since the February 26, 1936 murder of Saito Makoto and Takahashi Korekiyo.
A suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested at the scene. He seemed to be using a modified Blunderbuss that resembled a double-barreled shotgun. Let's take a look at the details of the murder weapon.
What Is A 'Blunderbuss' Gun Means?
Blunderbuss is a firearm with a short, large caliber barrel used with projectiles of relevant quantity. The gun is flared at the muzzle and throughout the entire bore.
The gun is considered the early predecessor of the modern shotgun with similar use. It is highly effective in short-range but lacks accuracy at long distances. The name blunderbuss originated from the Dutch word "donderbuis," with "donder" meaning "thunder" and "buis" meaning "pipe."
[image-1]
A modified blunderbuss is believed to be used by Tetsuya Yamagami, the killer of the assassination. The homemade double-barrel shotgun was seen on the street following the arrest of Yamagami.
Despite looking incredibly crude, with a taped and joined appearance, the gun could do what it was made to do. Many people on Twitter have called it a "high school science project."
The alleged perpetrator approached Abe from behind while he was giving a speech. After he reached just some meters from the former Prime Minister, Yamagami shot him twice from behind at close range.
The shot was fired through Abe's neck to the chest, and he collapsed on the spot. He was rushed to the Nara Medical University Hospital via helicopter, but the doctors could not save him.
Shinzo Abe Shooter's Gun Look Explained
The shooter of former Japanese Prime Minister Schizo Abe used a homemade gun to kill him. The gun looked as if it was modified and designed to do the exact crime.
It still feels unbelievable that the ugly-looking gun was designed to be able to fatally shoot a person. It seemed that the firearm was a double-barrelled shotgun, possibly a blunderbuss, wrapped by black duct tape or rubber.
It is not officially confirmed that the gun used to carry out the crime is, in fact, a blunderbuss. The exact details about the murder weapon have not been released in official sentences.
The gun looked straight out of a homemade science project. Viewers quickly noticed that an ignitor cap was fitted on the back of the barrel and the whole gun was duct-taped to stabilize the parts used.
What Was Shinzo Abe Doing When He Was Shot?
Shinso Abe was giving a campaign speech for a party candidate to a small crowd on the road near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Nara Prefecture, when he was shot from the back with an improvised handgun.
The incident occurred on July 8, 2022, at approximately 11:30 JST, and Abe was pronounced dead at 17:03 JST, five-and-a-half hours after the shooting.
[image-2]
Abe was a serving member of the House of Representatives and gave what became his last speech.
The death of Shinzo Abe was shocking to millions of people all over the world. Leaders from several countries released statements praising the accomplishments of Japan's longest-serving prime minister and the sadness of his loss.
Tetsuya Yamagami: Who Killed Shinzo Abe?
The man who killed the former Japanese was identified to be 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, born in Mie Prefecture. After finishing his deeds, he did not resist the arrest.
Yamagami was reportedly calm and did not attempt to escape. No official reason for the assassination is known; however, it is speculated that his hatred towards a religious group and his belief that Abe was related to the group.
Upon searching the perpetrator's room, police found several possible explosives and handmade guns similar to the ones used to assassinate Abe.
It was revealed that Yamagami was a former Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force who retired as a leading seaman. He previously worked as a forklift operator but was currently unemployed.
ncG1vNJzZmirmKTEo7XZnKarppWne6S7zGiuoZmkYra0ecBmmaWtnpmys67UrKpmn6Wjeq6xwKeqZquYnru7u4yamZ5lo528sMDEq6pmn6Wjeq27zqScnWWVrb2trcinnJ0%3D