Japan: Sports centre gunman found dead

The suspected perpetrator of a shooting spree that killed two people in a southern Japan sports club was found dead at a nearby church early today, apparently having committed suicide, police said.

Police found the man slumped on the ground with a gunshot wound, said Nagasaki state police spokesman Koji Minami.

Police identified the man as Masayoshi Magome, 37, the suspect in last night’s shootings in a sports centre in the southern city of Sasebo that left two people dead and six wounded. He was unemployed, police said.

A 26-year-old swimming instructor was killed at the Renaissance sports club and seven others were wounded, one of them, a 36-year-old visitor to the club, died shortly afterward. The six remaining wounded – two girls aged nine and 10, and three men and a woman – were taken to hospital but police said none of their injuries were life threatening.

Witnesses have told investigators the gunman pushed his way into the sports club and immediately began firing from a shotgun as he headed to a swimming pool on the second floor to fire more bullets before fleeing.

Police said the suspect fired more than 10 shots after reloading his gun several times.

The suspect, a member of the sports was licensed to own the shotgun, Minami said.

The latest shooting came only weeks after parliament approved new legislation that stiffens the penalties for gun crimes after a string of recent high profile fatal shootings.