Norway bow-and-arrow attacker ‘was a convert to Islam’
Danish bow-and-arrow attacker who killed five people and injured two during terrifying 30-minute rampage through Norwegian town ‘is a Muslim convert known to police’
Five people killed and two wounded after man went on a half-hour rampage with a bow and arrow in Norway37-year-old Danish man arrested by armed police half an hour after the attack began, with gunshots fired Suspect is a convert to Islam, Norwegian broadcaster said, as investigators added that he is known to policeMan, who has not yet been named, had also ‘been in contact with the Norwegian health service several times’
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A Danish man arrested for shooting five people dead and injuring two others in a bow and arrow attack in Norway is a convert to Islam who was known to police and had been in contact with health services, local media says.
The 37-year-old, who has not yet been identified, was arrested in the town of Kongsberg around 6.47pm local time Wednesday after a half-hour rampage that began in a supermarket and ended with police firing warning shots.
Several independent sources told Norwegian broadcaster TV2 that the man, who has lived in the town for several years, ‘is a convert to Islam’. Police have not yet confirmed the information or disclosed a motive for the attack, though chief Øyvind Aas said last night that officers will ‘naturally’ investigate whether it was terrorism.
Separately, police attorney Ann Irén Svane Mathiassen said the man was known to officers for ‘several different issues’ and had ‘been in contact with… the health service several times’ – though refused to give more detail.
He added that the suspect has admitted to being the one who carried out the attacks, though has yet to enter an official plea to criminal charges.
In other developments:
Witnesses described hearing ‘women’s screams’ at the scene of the attack, adding: ‘It was a death cry’ Police said the man used weapons other than a bow and arrow in the attack, but did not give more detail Suspect’s lawyer said he is ‘connected’ to Denmark through his mother and was born there, though had been living in Norway for ‘several years’ The man is currently being questioned by police and is cooperating, though has not been formally chargedSuspect is expected to be remanded in custody on Thursday, as police said more information will be releasedPolice searched an address close to the scene and questioned residents, though it is unclear what they found
Five people have been killed and two more injured during a half-hour bow and arrow rampage through the streets of Kongsberg, a town in southern Norway, on Wednesday night
A 37-year-old Danish man has been arrested, with several sources telling a Norwegian broadcaster that he is a convert to Islam. Police have yet to confirm the information or give a motive (pictured, an arrow in a wall near the scene of the attack)
Police say the suspect was known to officers for ‘several different issues’ and had ‘been in contact with… the health service several times’ without disclosing more details (pictured, arrows at the scene of the attack)
The attack began at a Coop Extra supermarket on the west side of Kongsberg at 6.13pm as the man opened fire with a bow and arrow, then walked through the streets apparently firing at random. It ended half an hour later and 400 yards away as police confronted the man after he crossed the Numedalslågen river
Police confirmed that officers had fired shots during the arrest, though it was not immediately clear whether they shot at the suspect or fired warning shots. It is not clear whether the man was injured during his arrest
Shortly after the man was arrested, police were seen searching a nearby house. Investigators have not yet disclosed what was found at the property, or what the motive for the attack may have been
Kongsberg is a small town in southern Norway that straddles the Numedalslågen river with a population of about 26,000. It is known as the home of the Royal Norwegian Mint, houses the headquarters of a major arms manufacturer, and serves as a satellite campus for the University of South-Eastern Norway
The attack began in a Coop Extra supermarket on the west side of Kongsberg at 6.13pm Wednesday and saw multiple people shot with a bow and arrow, five of whom died.
Two more – including an off-duty policeman – were injured during the rampage, which occurred over a ‘large area’ of the town with the suspect moving through the streets and apparently firing at random.
The attack ended when armed officers confronted the man and fired their weapons. It is unclear whether the suspect was hurt during the shooting, or whether the officers only fired warning shots.
Officers are today probing whether the attacker used more than one weapon during the 30-minute bloodbath after police chief Aas told reporters ‘the man used a bow and arrow… for some of the attacks.’
Norway’s outgoing Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg called the attack ‘shocking’ and ‘gruesome’ in a press conference late on Wednesday. ‘I understand that many people are afraid, but it’s important to emphasise that the police are now in control,’ she said.
Labour party leader Jonas Gahr Store, who is due to become prime minister today after an election last month, described the killings as ‘cruel and brutal’ and said his thoughts were with ‘those affected, their families, and with the police, the health workers who are now working full time to assist those who need help.’
Following the attacks, the Norwegian police command said it had immediately ordered officers nationwide to carry firearms. Norwegian police are normally unarmed but officers have access to guns and rifles when needed.
Official’s said Wednesday’s rampage was the deadliest attack in Norway in a decade, since far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people in twin attacks on July 22, 2011.
Breivik first set off a bomb in the capital Oslo next to the building that housed the office of the prime minister, then went on a shooting spree at a summer camp for left-wing youths on the island of Utoya.
A witness told TV2 she had heard a commotion and seen people running for cover before catching side of a ‘man standing on the corner with arrows in a quiver on his shoulder and a bow in his hand,’ AFP reported.
‘Afterwards, I saw people running for their lives. One of them was a woman holding a child by the hand,’ she added.
Another witness tweeted: ‘There is a guy with bow and arrow shooting at people just outside my apartment wtf. Police and multiple helicopters are here.’
While Sarkis Younan, a student who lives next to the Coop Extra store, told local media: ‘I was sitting and watching Squid Game when I suddenly saw and heard sirens. I thought it was in the TV series. Suddenly I heard the police screaming like hell: ‘Put down your weapon”.’
Officers have cordoned large areas of the town, a municipality of around 28,000 people in southeastern Norway, 82km (51 miles) from Oslo, and urged the public to stay home. Police said there were several crime scenes.
Some of the arrows pictured strewn around the site of the attack appeared to be crossbow bolts while others had flights indicating they could be used with a bow.
‘The man used a bow and arrow… for some of the attacks,’ police chief Øyvind Aas told reporters adding that police were investigating whether other weapons had also been used.
Television footage showed ambulances, armed police, a helicopter, and bomb disposal team in the area.
A helicopter was seen landing near the scene of the attack in which at least five people were killed and several more injured in Kongsberg, Norway, on Wednesday evening
Officials are thought to be probing a possible terror motive after the suspect fired at random victims across a ‘wide area’ of Kongsberg
‘We can unfortunately confirm that there are several injured and also unfortunately several killed in this episode,’ police official Oyvind Aas (pictured) told a news conference
The TV2 station reported that the man also had a knife or other weapons. And the website of public broadcaster NRK published an image sent by a witness of a black arrow sticking out of a wall.
‘We can unfortunately confirm that there are several injured and also unfortunately several killed in this episode,’ Aas told a news conference. ‘The man who committed this act has been arrested by the police and, according to our information, there is only one person involved.’
‘There is no active search for other people,’ Aas said. Police said it was ‘natural’ to probe terrorism as a possible motive.
Police are understood to be interviewing several witnesses and visited an address in Kongsberg late on Wednesday.
Unni Grøndal, Oslo police spokesperson: ‘We are helping with national assistance resources such as police helicopters, bomb squads, and crews from the Emergency Response Troop.’
At least eight ambulances and three air ambulances were seen at the scene with the wounded taken to hospital.
It was not immediately clear where the wounded were taken but Oslo University Hospital was put on standby to receive victims.
Mayor Kari Anne Sand told VG newspaper: ‘It is a tragedy for all those affected. I have no words. This is a shocking event that we did not think could happen in Norway.’
Following the attacks, the police directorate said it had immediately ordered officers nationwide to carry firearms. Norwegian police are normally unarmed but officers have access to guns and rifles when needed.
‘This is an extra precaution. The police have no indication so far that there is a change in the national threat level,’ the directorate said in a statement.
Norway’s minister of justice and public security, Monica Maeland, has received updates on the attacks and was closely monitoring the situation, the ministry said.
City officials invited people who were affected by the attack and their relatives to gather for support at a local hotel.
New Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, who is set to take up the position today, said: ‘What we have heard from Kongsberg tonight testifies that a cruel and brutal act has been committed. We still know little about what happened and what is behind it, but we know that several innocent people were killed and that several were injured.
‘My thoughts and deepest sympathy are with those affected, their families, and with the police, the health workers who are now working full time to assist those who need help.’
Acting Prime Minister Erna Solberg called the attack ‘shocking’ and ‘gruesome’ and said it was too early to determine the shooter’s motive
At least eight ambulances and three air ambulances were seen at the scene with the wounded taken to hospital. However the number of wounded, or their condition, were not yet known
Officers have cordoned large areas of Kongsberg, a municipality of around 28,000 people in southeastern Norway, where at least five people were killed and more injured in an attack on Wednesday
Police are investigating after a bow and arrows attack on members of the public in Kongsberg, Norway, left five dead and two more injured
Police officers have secured several crime scenes in the centre of Kongsberg following the shooting around 6:13pm on Wednesday
Former Norwegian MP Laila Gustavsen, who lives in Kongsberg, said: ‘That something like this can happen in a quiet small town like ours is unreal.’
Head of Norway’s Socialist Left Party Audun Bjorlo Lysbakken said: ‘I feel profound sadness that such cruel acts of violence could hit the inhabitants of a peaceful Norwegian town.’
While Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said: ‘Terrible attack in Norway tonight. My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.’
Norway has traditionally been a peaceful nation but has suffered far-right attacks.
Right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik carried out twin attacks that killed 77 people on July 22, 2011.
Breivik first set off a bomb in the capital Oslo next to the building that housed the office of the prime minister, then went on a shooting spree at a summer camp for left-wing youths on the island of Utoya.
Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum under Norwegian law, but his term can be extended as long as he’s considered a danger to society.
In August 2019, self-proclaimed neo-Nazi Philip Manshaus opened fire into a mosque on the outskirts of Oslo before being overpowered by worshippers, with no one being seriously injured.
However, he had earlier shot dead his step-sister, who had been adopted from China, in what prosecutors termed a ‘racist act’.
Several planned jihadist attacks have also been foiled by security services.
