20 Injured After Spraying Incident in Tokyo Luxury Mall

World News

20 Injured After Spraying Incident in Tokyo Luxury Mall

1 month ago

News sources:

CHANNELNEWSASIA

SCMP

CBSNEWS

BBC

20 Injured After Spraying Incident in Tokyo Luxury Mall

Credited from: SCMP

Approximately 20 people were injured due to a substance sprayed in a Tokyo mall.
The substance is believed to contain capsaicin, causing throat irritation.
A major emergency response was deployed, blocking roads around the area.

On Monday, around 20 people were injured at a luxury shopping complex in Tokyo's Ginza district after a man sprayed a substance near an ATM. Authorities reported that the injuries were mostly minor; however, local fire department officials noted a strong "smell" that prompted the response, according to Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.

The exact nature of the sprayed substance has not been fully confirmed, but initial reports suggest it was likely an irritant spray containing capsaicin, commonly found in chili peppers. A 70-year-old witness described her experience, stating her throat started "stinging and hurting" as she approached the scene, which prompted a large emergency response involving police and firefighters in hazmat suits, according to CBS News and BBC.

Emergency services cordoned off the area and treated victims on-site, with multiple individuals transported to hospitals for further evaluation. Despite the chaos, some shoppers continued to enter the mall using side entrances as authorities began their investigation into the incident and the man responsible for the spraying, as reported by South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.