Video shows the moment Shinzo Abe was shot at while delivering speech

Shinzo Abe was attacked in Japan's Nara city on July 8. (Screengrab from video tweeted by @Global_Mil_Info)

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot at on July 8 while delivering a speech at an election campaign in the country's Nara region.

Reports said the 67-year-old leader bled from the neck and collapsed.

Footage aired by Japanese broadcasters showed the moment the attacker fired what seemed to be a shotgun at him. Smoke emerged and the people around Shinzo Abe screamed and cowered down.

The moment that Japanese Former PM Shinzo Abe was shot. Looks to be a DIY shotgun. pic.twitter.com/sC0yzzfIob

— Global: MilitaryInfo (@Global_Mil_Info) July 8, 2022

Another clip showed witnesses rushing to help Abe. 

WATCH: Bystanders rush to help former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after he is shotpic.twitter.com/vgk7fn323p

— BNO News (@BNONews) July 8, 2022

"He was giving a speech and a man came from behind," a witness told Japan's NHK. "The first shot sounded like a toy. He didn't fall and there was a large bang. The second shot was more visible, you could see the spark and smoke."

Abe was moved to hospital. He was reportedly showing no vital signs, news agency AFP reported.

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The suspect in the attack, a man believed to be in his 40s, has been taken into custody.

The Japanese government has formed a task force in the aftermath of the shooting.

Abe is Japan's longest-serving prime minister. He was in office for one year in 2012 and then again from 2012 to 2020. He had resigned due to health reasons.

Countries expressed shock at the attack on Abe. The United States said it was saddened by the incident.

"Abe-san has been an outstanding leader of Japan and unwavering ally of the US," said Rahm Emanuel, the country's ambassador to Japan. "The US Government and American people are praying for the well-being of Abe-san, his family and people of Japan."

(With inputs from AFP)