Episode 14: The Senseless Killing of Yoshihiro Hattori - Oaktober Fest Special Edition

Welcome to Oaktober Fest, our annual celebration of spooky season lasting the entire month of October!

This episode highlights the tragic death of Yoshihiro Hattori, a 16-year-old Japanese student on an exchange program to the United States. 

 

When "Yoshi" and his friend and fellow student Webb Haymaker knocked on the door of a house where they believed a Halloween Party to be held, they were met with gunfire, killing Yoshi and leaving Webb with a lifetime of emotional scars. 

 

After the Yoshi's untimely death, two families, forever linked through tragedy, would work together to lead a massive campaign to change America's gun laws.  

 

Ultimately, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act was passed, mandating background checks on gun buyers and a five-day waiting period on all purchases. 

 

Give: Yoshi Hattori Memorial Scholarship (afsusa.org)

Sources:

Mascia, J. (2022). How the Death of a Japanese Exchange Student Changed the U.S. Gun Debate. The Trace. https://www.thetrace.org/2022/11/yoshihiro-hattori-webb-haymaker-brady/

Taylor, A. (2023, April 20). Mistaken address shootings echo killing of Japanese teen 30 years ago. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/04/20/yoshihiro-hattori-mistaken-address-shooting-japan/

Luckhurst, B. T. (2019, October 19). Yoshihiro Hattori: The door knock that killed a Japanese teenager in US. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50063364

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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Holmes and Music by Ryan Creep