OSAKA -- A 30-year-old man was shot in the stomach by police in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on Sunday after attempting to run over four police officers with his car and then ramming their patrol car in an effort to escape from a garage, police said.
Hiroshi Yamamoto, who was immediately arrested on charges of attempted murder and obstructing justice, has had the bullet removed and is being questioned by police, the Sakai East Police Station said. The four officers escaped unharmed.
The officers rushed to the scene at around 2:50 a.m. after receiving a report from an apartment building resident that there was a strange man in the parking garage.
They initially found the man asleep in his car, but when they approached him, he suddenly pulled out, nearly running them over, police said.
He then began ramming the patrol car in an attempt to escape, and after several warnings, was shot by officer Masaru Abe, 39.
The police station said the shooting was justified because Yamamoto ignored orders to desist.