Police arrest U.S. sailor from Yokosuka base on suspicion of trying to kill girl, woman

Police arrested a U.S. Navy sailor Thursday on suspicion of attempting to murder a Japanese girl and a woman who were found stabbed in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the morning. The 19-year-old petty officer 2nd class, from the frigate USS Gary stationed at the U.S. Navy's Yokosuka base, was taken into custody by police after he was found at a department store in the city at around 11 a.m.

Rear Adm James Kelly, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Japan, issued a statement saying the Navy is cooperating with the Japanese police investigation and has been in contact with local, prefectural and national government officials to resolve the case "as quickly as possible."

The police and the Navy have not yet released the name of the sailor.

The girl, who told police she is 16 and from Tokyo's Suginami Ward, was found bleeding from the abdomen on a street in Yokosuka around 8:30 a.m. A person working at a nearby construction site found her and called the police, they said.

She sustained minor injuries, according to police.

A police officer who went to the scene after the call found a woman stabbed in the back at a nearby apartment. The woman, who said she is 26 and from Ayase, Kanagawa, has serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said.

According to the investigation so far, the sailor is suspected of stabbing the women and fleeing the apartment after quarreling with them. The 16-year-old told the police that she went to seek help after the stabbings.

The girl was also quoted as telling police she was stabbed by an African-American U.S. serviceman she got to know Wednesday and who visited the apartment.

"This is a serious incident and we are gravely concerned that one of our sailors may have been involved," Kelly said. "We all pray for the victims' speedy recovery."

Also in a statement, U.S. Rear Adm Richard Wren, commander of the Task Force Seven Zero which oversees the Gary, vowed to carry out a thorough review of the Navy's standards of conduct to "reinforce our commitment to good order and discipline."