Police arrest suspect in spray attack in Japanese department store restroom

TOKYO (AP) — Police in the western Japanese city of Osaka said Thursday they have arrested a woman on suspicion of spraying an unknown liquid on several women inside a department store, causing pain to their faces and eyes.

Police arrested a 33-year-old woman early Thursday in the alleged assaults inside a restroom at a department store the day before, Osaka prefectural police said. Her motive and other details of the attack were still under investigation, officials said.

One of the victims was 85-year-old woman who was sprayed inside the ladies room on the 9th floor of the Hankyu Department Store in Osaka, a local police official said on condition of anonymity, citing protocol. The woman complained of pain in the cheek and was taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.

At least six other people also had the unidentified liquid sprayed on their faces and had eye sores and other minor irritation, but none of them was seriously injured, police said.

Local news reports say police determined the suspect after analyzing security cameras.

Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press