From
the Japan Times ->
A man screaming "You die!" burst into the Kyoto Animation building
around 10:30am in Japan yesterday and set it on fire, leaving nearly 30
people confirmed or presumed dead. So far, 20 people were confirmed
dead, including 12 on the first and second floors, and eight more on the
third floor, Kyoto fire department official Mikihide Daikoku said.
Nearly 10 others found on the top floor were presumed dead, he said.
Some were found on the stairs, where they apparently collapsed while
gasping for air and trying to go out to the roof.
Kyoto police said the suspect was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment. They are investigating the man, who is 41 and not a company employee, on suspicion of arson, police said.
A witness who saw the suspect being approached by police told Japanese networks that the man admitted spreading gasoline and setting a fire with a lighter. She told NHK public television that the man had burns on his arms and legs and that he was angrily complaining that something of his had been "stolen," possibly by the company. NHK footage also showed sharp knives police had collected from the scene, though it was not clear if they belonged to the suspect.
Survivors who saw the attacker said he was not their colleague and that he was screaming "(You) die!" when he dumped the liquid and started the fire, according to Japanese media. They said some of the survivors got splashed with the liquid.
Kyoto Animation, better known as KyoAni, was founded in 1981 as an animation and comic book production studio, and its hits include "Lucky Star," ''K-On!" and "Haruhi Suzumiya." The company does not have a major presence outside Japan, though it was hired to provide secondary animation work on a 1998 "Pokemon" feature that appeared in U.S. theaters and a "Winnie the Pooh" video.
Unbelievable, that someone could have that much hate in their heart. John Ledford over at Sentai Filmworks
has setup a GoFund Me to help support the survivors and their families.
