An 18-year-old army trainee in Japan was arrested Wednesday after he opened fire on his training instructors, killing two of them, officials said.

According to the Associated Press, the suspect began firing a rifle at soldiers during training at the Hino Base Firing Range. report. The suspect injured three instructors, two of whom died from their injuries. according to Reuters. (Related: Army sergeant sentenced to life in prison for killing fellow soldier)

An 18-year-old army trainee opened fire on three fellow soldiers at a firing range inside a Japanese military base, killing two of them, officials said. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder at the scene in Chubu. https://t.co/U0TVusITDc

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 14, 2023

Army Chief of Staff General Yasunori Morishita told the Associated Press that the shooter enlisted in the military in April 2023. Many other recruits are believed to have taken part in the exercise at the time of the alleged shooting, but the details are still under investigation. A military official told the media.

According to the newspaper, Morishita said, “As an organization dealing in weapons, we should never allow such incidents to occur.” “As the head of the military, I take this very seriously.”

According to the report, in response to this incident, the military is investigating the incident and trying to establish safety measures to prevent similar incidents, so Mr. Morishita temporarily held drills using guns and explosives nationwide. ordered to stop.

Japanese media report In April, it emerged that the country’s military was struggling to meet its conscription targets. Japan’s Self-Defense Forces will reportedly increase its personnel by about 4,300 in fiscal 2022, about 46% of its target of 9,245.