On Wednesday (13th) local time, a 37-year-old man launched a bow and arrow attack in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg, killing 5 people and injuring 2 others. He has been arrested by the police.
The Southeast Police District stated that the local police began receiving emergency calls from the city centre of Kongsberg at 6:13 pm local time. The person calling the police said that a person was walking around with "what should be a bow and arrow." It is reported that the suspect traversed a "large area" during the attack and was arrested at 6:47 pm local time. The police fired several shots during the arrest.
(On the 13th, an arrow was left on the wall of the Kongsberg crime scene in Norway)
In a statement released today, the police said that the suspect was a Danish citizen living in the town. The police have not disclosed the name of the suspect. He was arrested on Wednesday afternoon and sent to the nearby city of Drammen. According to the police, the perpetrator is believed to have acted alone and has no other accomplices.
After the attack, Drammen Police Chief Oyvind Aas said in an interview with the media that the authorities did not rule out the possibility of a terrorist attack. He said: "From the perspective of the course of the incident, it is natural to consider whether this is a terrorist act." However, As added, "The arrested person has not been questioned, so it is still a matter of discussing this matter and the person's motives. It’s too early.”
(The attacker has been arrested by the police)
At a press conference in the capital Oslo, the outgoing Prime Minister Erna Solberg told Kongsberg’s developments Described as a "horrible attack" and promised that "all necessary resources" are being deployed. The Prime Minister said: “The perpetrators committed terrible actions to several people. This is a very dramatic situation that has dealt a heavy blow to Kongsberg’s society. These events shocked all of us.”
On the eve of the establishment of the new government, last month’s parliamentary elections overthrew the long-ruling Conservative Party. Labour Party leader Jonas Gahr Store will assume the post of prime minister on Thursday. On social media, Jonas Gahr Store described the attack as a "cruel and barbaric act."He said: “I deeply sympathize with those affected and their families, as well as the police, health workers and rescuers who are now working full-time. They provide assistance to those in need.”
According to As, one of them The injured was an off-duty policeman in the shop. "The wounded have been sent to the hospital for treatment. The Kongsberg City Government has been notified and has set up a crisis team to assist and follow up those in need."
The police said: "From our first It took some time for the second patrol to arrive at the scene and he was arrested. When we have a better understanding of what happened, we will return to a more detailed description of the incident."
As a precautionary measure, now all over the country All the policemen received orders to carry guns. According to Norwegian law, the police usually must obtain prior approval to carry guns. The Norwegian Police Department said in a statement on Wednesday: “Due to the serious incident in Kongsberg tonight that resulted in several deaths and injuries, the Norwegian police is temporarily armed.” The statement added: “This is an extra Emergency measures."
This attack occurred more than a decade after the worst terrorist attack in Norway. In July 2011, Norwegian far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people, including many teenagers, in bomb attacks and gun rampages. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison, which was the longest sentence that year.
In August 2019, another man burst into a mosque in Oslo with a gun and was subsequently subdued. That year, the country’s intelligence agency reported that right-wing terrorism was on the rise globally and warned that the country might become a target of attacks in the near future.
Wuhan Morning News trainee reporter Chen Mengting
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