A 15-year-old middle school student in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, was arrested for attempted murder and arson after allegedly dousing his family home in gasoline and igniting it while his parents slept. The teenager surrendered to a local police box, citing stress from ongoing alleged domestic abuse.
Arrest Following Early Morning House Fire in Omuta
Police in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, arrested a 15-year-old third-year junior high school student on August 18 following a predawn residential fire that destroyed a wooden home. The suspect was taken into custody on dual charges of building arson and attempted murder.
Emergency services responded to the blaze after it broke out shortly after 1 a.m. on August 18. Firefighters extinguished the flames roughly two hours later, but the structure was left entirely in ruins. The residence housed a family of three, including both parents, who are both 51 years old, alongside their teenage son.
Injuries Sustained and Immediate Police Response
Both parents managed to escape the burning building after waking up to the fire. While the mother escaped, the father sustained burns to his back and arms. According to police and fire authorities, his injuries were non-life-threatening and he remained conscious following the incident.
Approximately an hour after the fire started, at around 2:10 a.m., the 15-year-old walked into a nearby police box of his own accord. Identifying himself by name, he confessed to the act directly to officers, stating that he had set the house on fire. Officers subsequently took the teenager into voluntary custody to conduct formal questioning.
Motive and Confession Recorded by Investigators
During subsequent interrogations by the Omuta Police Station, the suspect admitted to the allegations, confirming that he targeted his parents while knowing they were asleep inside the residence. Investigators determined that the fire was started when the teenager distributed a liquid resembling gasoline throughout the home and ignited a cloth using a lighter.
When questioned about his underlying motives, the suspect told investigators that he harored deep resentment toward his father due to recurring physical abuse. He stated that the chronic maltreatment had caused him to build up severe stress, culminating in the decision to douse the home in gasoline and start the fire.
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