No one
expects to read this kind of news about a place that is uniquely designed to
bring happiness. What should be a safe and magical haven for fans, became the
scene of a terrible tragedy on Thursday night, when an armed attack inside
the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo left two people dead.
Horror
in Sunshine City
The events
occurred shortly after 7:00 p.m. at the iconic store located inside the
Sunshine City shopping center, in the Higashi-Ikebukuro area. According to
reports, a man suddenly attacked an employee of the place (a young woman in her
mid-twenties) with what appeared to be a knife. Although the emergency services
rushed her to the hospital, unfortunately her death was confirmed shortly
after.
After
committing the crime, the attacker stabbed himself in the neck area. He was
taken to the hospital in critical condition, where he also lost his life. So
far, the authorities have not revealed the identities of those involved or the
possible motives behind this chilling attack.
A hard
blow for the community
Through an
official statement, the company announced the indefinite closure of the store
while they cooperate fully with the police investigation. They also stressed
that their absolute priority at this time is to provide medical and
psychological support to the rest of their staff, who witnessed this traumatic
event.
For anyone
who has visited Japan, the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo is a must-see. It is a
place full of stuffed animals, smiles and families. Seeing a space so beloved
by the otaku and gamer community stained by such an extreme act of violence has
left thousands of fans in shock and with a deep feeling of sadness.
At times
like this, the only thing left is to send the most heartfelt condolences to the
victim's relatives and the work team of the store.
