Police have arrested a suspect in the stabbing death of a YouTuber who was tracked down and attacked during her livestream in Tokyo.
Kenichi “Kenji” Takano, 42, was taken into police custody in connection with the stabbing death of 22-year-old Airi Sato, Japan’s Kyodo News reported Wednesday, March 12, citing the Metropolitan Police Department.
The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP
Sato was reportedly walking by herself while she livestreamed in Shinjuku Ward when the attack happened around 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11.
According to CBS News and the New York Times, viewers on Sato’s livestream heard her screaming for help before the connection went dark.
At least two witnesses spoke with authorities, with one telling police the screaming lasted around 15 seconds. Another said she saw a man wearing a black hat attacking the victim, per Kyodo News.
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Takano, who was arrested at the scene, allegedly found Sato by using the landmarks and buildings in her background to track her down during her livestream.
However, authorities do not believe it was a random attack.
Police said Sato and Takano became familiar with each other in 2021 and he is believed to have allowed her to borrow money from him beginning around 2022.
“There was trouble. I had lent her more than 2 million yen ($13,500) but she did not return it,” he reportedly told officers.
Citing investigators, Kyodo News reported that both the influencer and the suspect had already spoken with police outside of Tokyo regarding the dispute.
Takano reportedly traveled about 60 miles to Tokyo from Oyama after Sato announced the livestream.
Police said he had two knives in his possession at the time of his arrest, according to the news outlet. Sato was reportedly stabbed multiple times in her neck and chest.
She was transported to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Takano reportedly told police it was not his intention to kill Sato.
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