AT LEAST five people have killed and several others have been injured after rampaged through the Norwegian town of Kongsberg with a bow and arrow.
The local police chief, Oeying Aas, said the suspect began his attack just after 6pm local time (7pm UK time) before police arrived and detained him at around 6.45pm. He is currently in police custody.
Aas said there was “a confrontation” between officers and the assailant, but he did not elaborate.
Two other people were wounded and hospitalized in intensive care, including an officer who was off duty and inside the shop where the attack took place, police said.
Read our blog on the latest updates below.
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Suspect ‘had confrontation’ with police
The police chief in the community of Kongsberg, near the capital of Oslo, said there was “a confrontation” between officers and the assailant, but he did not elaborate. Two other people were wounded and hospitalized in intensive care, including an officer who was off duty and inside the shop where the attack took place, police said.
“The man who carried out the act has been arrested by the police, and there is no active search for more people. Based on the information we have, there is one person behind this,” Police Chief Oeyving Aas said.
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Police are ‘in control’, says acting PM
“The reports coming from Kongsberg tonight are horrifying,” Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a news conference.
“I understand that many people are afraid, but it’s important to emphasise that the police are now in control,” she said.
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Police investigating ‘other weapons’
“The man used a bow and arrow … for some of the attacks,” police chief Oeyvind Aas told reporters. The police were investigating whether other weapons had also been used, he said.
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Update: Police say five dead
A man armed with a bow and arrows killed five people Wednesday near the Norwegian capital of Oslo before he was arrested, authorities said.
The police chief in the town of Kongsberg said there was “a confrontation” between officers and the assailant, but he did not elaborate.
Two other people were wounded and hospitalized in intensive care, including an officer who was off duty and inside the shop where the attack took place, police said.
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Arrows seen at the scene
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Where is Kongsberg?
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Police investigating ‘other weapons’
“The man used a bow and arrow … for some of the attacks,” police chief Oeyvind Aas told reporters. The police were investigating whether other weapons had also been used, he said.
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Attacks covered ‘large area’ of city
The attacks took place over “a large area” of Kongsberg, a municipality of about 28,000 people in southeastern Norway, 68 km (42 miles) from the capital, Oslo.
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.
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Area cordoned off
A large area of the town was reportedly evacuated and cordoned off after a man opened fire with a bow and arrow.
Local media reported the suspect started shooting at people from inside a Co-op Extra supermarket in the town’s west.
Shocked onlookers also spoke of finding a seriously injured woman with an arrow in her body calling out for help in a pool of blood near a traffic junction.
Several more were described as severely injured with unconfirmed reports from the scene suggesting around five people had been killed.
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Death toll largest since Anders Behring Breivik
The death toll was the worst of any attack in Norway since 2011, when far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people, most of them teenagers at a youth camp
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Police are ‘in control’, says acting PM
“The reports coming from Kongsberg tonight are horrifying,” Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a news conference.
“I understand that many people are afraid, but it’s important to emphasise that the police are now in control,” she said.
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Police investigating ‘other weapons’
“The man used a bow and arrow … for some of the attacks,” police chief Oeyvind Aas told reporters. The police were investigating whether other weapons had also been used, he said.
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Update: Police say five dead
A man armed with a bow and arrows killed five people Wednesday near the Norwegian capital of Oslo before he was arrested, authorities said.
The police chief in the town of Kongsberg said there was “a confrontation” between officers and the assailant, but he did not elaborate.
Two other people were wounded and hospitalized in intensive care, including an officer who was off duty and inside the shop where the attack took place, police said.
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Attacks covered ‘large area’ of city
The attacks took place over “a large area” of Kongsberg, a municipality of about 28,000 people in southeastern Norway, 68 km (42 miles) from the capital, Oslo.
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.
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Police not ‘actively’ searching for anyone else
“The man who carried out the act has been arrested by the police, and there is no active search for more people. Based on the information we have, there is one person behind this,” Police Chief Oeying Aas said.
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Acting PM calls attack ‘gruesome’
Acting Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg has called the attack “gruesome” in a press conference.
However, she insisted it was too early to speculate on the man’s motive.
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Police across Norway on high alert
Police across the country have reportedly been put on high alert following the attack.
Norwegian police are typically unarmed but are reportedly being given weapons since the attack.
Speaking at a press conference, a police spokesperson said they arrested the suspect around 30 minutes after they were called. They said the suspect attempted to run but did not say whether or not there had been any shots fired.
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Outgoing Norwegian government to hold press conference
The outgoing Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg and justice minister Monica Mæland are expected to hold a press conference on the attack shortly.
The pair are due to leave office tomorrow after their party was defeated in parliamentary elections last month.
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Police to investigate whether attack was terrorism related
Norwegian police declined to comment on the number of casualties, but said they will investigate whether the attack amounted to an act of terrorism.
“It’s natural to consider whether this was an act of terror,” police chief Oeyvind Aas told reporters but insisted the man had not yet been questioned.
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Suspect wandered streets shooting people
Police were alerted to the attack around 6:30 p.m. and arrested the suspect about 20 minutes later. The community is 66 kilometers (41 miles) southwest of Oslo.
According to police, the suspect walked around the city shooting at people with arrows. Several people were wounded in shops, Aas said.
The man has not been questioned yet, and his motive was unknown, Aas said.
City officials invited people who were affected by the attack and their relatives to gather for support at a local hotel.
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At least four dead, local media says
At least four people have died in the bow and arrow attack in Kongsberg, according to public broadcaster NRK.
Norwegian police have so far not said how many casualties there are.
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Where is Kongsberg?
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Huge response
A huge emergency response was seen in the town as medics rushed to help those hurt.
Helicopters, bomb squads and military forces were also deployed.
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Suspect in custody
Police believe the suspect acted alone as they described the incident as “serious”.
“The man has been apprehended,” police chief, Øyvind Aas, told reporters.
“From the information we now have, this person carried out these actions alone.
“Several people have been injured and several are dead.”
Aas did not rule whether it was potentially a terror attack, adding “time will tell”.
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Area cordoned off
A large area of the town was reportedly evacuated and cordoned off after a man opened fire with a bow and arrow.
Local media reported the suspect started shooting at people from inside a Co-op Extra supermarket in the town’s west.
Shocked onlookers also spoke of finding a seriously injured woman with an arrow in her body calling out for help in a pool of blood near a traffic junction.
Several more were described as severely injured with unconfirmed reports from the scene suggesting around five people had been killed.