The hostage situation with fatal consequences: “This time he does not show up with a crossbow, but with a samurai sword”
It is five o’clock in the morning when there is a loud noise in a house in Rodenbachstraat in Merksplas. The 19-year-old son of the house, Jarne, is the first to wake up. He suddenly comes face to face with a man holding a samurai sword. When the police arrive, they find two injured people and Jarne’s lifeless body. There is no trace of the 43-year-old mother of the family, nor of the man with the samurai sword. The police are in the dark until they receive a phone call from the mother.
Aiko Tanaka is a combat sports journalist and general sports reporter at Archysport. A former competitive judoka who represented Japan at the Asian Games, Aiko brings firsthand athletic experience to her coverage of judo, martial arts, and Olympic sports. Beyond combat sports, Aiko covers breaking sports news, major international events, and the stories that cut across disciplines — from doping scandals to governance issues to the business side of global sport. She is passionate about elevating the profile of underrepresented sports and athletes.
