It is generally said that the criminals were four people: Soji OKITA, Shinpachi NAGAKURA, Sanosuke HARADA and Genzaburo INOUE of Shinsengumi and another theory suggests that the criminals were Isami KONDO and Toshizo HIJIKATA in addition to these four people.
一般に犯人は新選組の沖田総司・永倉新八・原田左之助・井上源三郎の4人とも、これに近藤勇や土方歳三が加わっていたともされる。