Shinzo Abe has been assassinated.

The longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history, Abe died on Friday after being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan, hospital officials confirmed.

He was 67 years old.

According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Tokyo, Abe, was shot in the right side of his neck at around 11:30 a.m. local time.

He was pronounced a few hours later.

Police arrested a male suspect named Yamagami Tetsuya at the scene of the shooting in Nara… and authorities have since said that he appeared to carry out the killing via a homemade gun.

The shooting was “barbaric, and malicious, and it cannot be tolerated,” said Fumio Kishida, the current Prime Minister of Japan, adding:

“We will do everything we can. I would like to use the most extreme words available to condemn this act.”

Abe served as prime minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007, and again from 2012 to 2020.

The BBC reported that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after the news broke he was “deeply saddened and deeply concerned” by the shooting at the G20 gathering of foreign ministers in Indonesia.

“Our thoughts, our prayers are with him, with his family, with the people of Japan,” Blinken said Friday.

“This is a very, very sad moment. And we’re awaiting news from Japan.”

NHK actually aired footage that depicted Abe collapsing on the street, with several security guards running toward him.

He was bleeding and holding his chest.

French President, Emmanuel Macron said via Twitter that he was “deeply shocked by the heinous attack that Shinzo Abe suffered.

“Thoughts to the family and loved ones of a great Prime Minister. France stands alongside the Japanese people.”

Abe came into office as Japan’s prime minister in December 2012 and announced his resignation in August 2020 due to a chronic illness.

He helped his country land the Summer Olympics in 2020.

British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson – who resigned from his post on Thursday – said in a tweet that he was “ytterly appalled and saddened to hear about the despicable attack on Shinzo Abe. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”

Concluded Johnson:

“Incredibly sad news about Shinzo Abe. His global leadership through unchartered times will be remembered by many.

“My thoughts are with his family, friends and the Japanese people. The UK stands with you at this dark and sad time.”

Former President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said it was “absolutely devastating news.”

He wrote on his social media app, Truth Social, that Abe “was a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America.

“This is a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much.

“We are all praying for Shinzo and his beautiful family!”

Shinzo Abe, Former Japanese Prime Minister, Shot Dead During Campaign Speech was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip .