Abe collapsed in Nara, a west Japanese town, at around 11:30 a.m Friday, according to NHK. A NHK reporter reported hearing two gunshots and witnessed Abe collapse and then bleed out of his chest.
The former premier was reported to have been transported to a hospital following the incident. Abe has not shown any symptoms of vital importance following the shot, as per Japanese media.
The Associated Press reported Abe “was not breathing and his heart had stopped” and added “In Japan, officials sometimes use the term [heart failure] to describe situations where victims are no longer alive but before a formal declaration of death has been made.”
The Washington Post's Michelle Ye Hee Lee reported that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said to reporters that Abe was in serious condition and that “doctors are working to save [him].”
Reuters says that a 41-year-old man identified as Tetsuya Yamagami was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
Rahm Emanuel said on twitter that was “saddened and shocked” at the news, and prayed for Abe's wellbeing.
“We don't know his condition, we do know he's been shot,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said ahead of a G20 summit in Indonesia. “This is a very, very sad moment and we're waiting for news from Japan.”
Former president Donald Trump expressed sadness at the announcement that Abe was shot, calling him “a truly great man and leader” and “a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America.”
