A man in northeastern Japan has been arrested on suspicion of killing his 93-year-old father, who police initially believed was the victim of a bear attack.
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Fujiyuki Shindo, 51, was arrested on Tuesday in the city of Daisen, Akita prefecture, after allegedly slashing his father, Fujiyoshi, to death with a knife at their family home.
Authorities say the attack occurred on Monday, prompting an emergency call from the victim’s 80-year-old wife, who found her husband collapsed and bleeding in a first-floor bedroom shortly after 1pm.
Emergency responders rushed Fujiyoshi to hospital, but he was pronounced dead from blood loss.
In the immediate aftermath, local officials issued an warning to residents, alerting them via email to what was thought to be a bear attack.
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The region has experienced a recent surge in bear sightings and attacks, with more than 650 incidents reported in Akita since the start of July – almost three times as many as during the same period last year, according to public broadcaster NHK.