Two people were killed and 21 injured, including 10 seriously, in shootings overnight from Friday to Saturday in central Oslo, Norwegian police said. According to Norwegian media, several bars were targeted, including at least one gay establishment. Following “clear” recommendations from the police, “all events related to Oslo Pride are cancelled”, in the first place the pride march scheduled for this Saturday afternoon, write the organizers of the event in a press release published on Facebook.
“The police are investigating the facts as a terrorist act,” she said in a statement. A suspect was arrested after the shootings which occurred around 1am. The police later clarified that it was a 42-year-old Norwegian of Iranian origin. His identity has not been revealed, but he was known to the internal intelligence services, also in charge of anti-terrorism, said Oslo police official Christian Hatlo at a press conference. The qualification of terrorist act is retained because of the “number of wounded and killed, the number of crime scenes, at least three, and (…) there are good reasons to believe that he intended to sow terror,” he added.
“There are reasons to believe that this is a hate crime”
The shooting occurred around 1am (2300 GMT) outside a pub, Per på hjørnet, where the two were reportedly dead, according to local media. She then continued past an adjoining gay club, the London Pub, right in the center of the Norwegian capital, so packed on that hot summer night. “There are reasons to believe that this is a hate crime”, added Christian Hatlo, referring to the nature of the places targeted, “in particular the London Pub”.
Civilians assisted in the capture of the suspect within minutes of the first reports as well as providing first aid, according to the police who hailed “a heroic contribution”. The suspect had already had to deal with the police for minor acts such as carrying a knife or a conviction for possession of narcotics. Two weapons were seized at the scene of the attack: an automatic weapon and a handgun that Christian Hatlo presented as “old”.
The Prime Minister in solidarity with homosexuals
A witness interviewed by the newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) spoke of “a scene of war”. “There were plenty of injured people on the ground who had head injuries,” he said. According to an NRK journalist present at the time of the shooting, the shooter arrived with a bag from which he pulled out a weapon with which he fired. In the early hours of the morning, a bag was still lying on the ground at the scene of the shooting around which specialists from the technical and scientific police were busy.
“The shooting outside the London Pub in Oslo tonight is a horrific and deeply shocking attack on innocent people,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said. “We don’t yet know the reasons for this terrible act but to the homosexuals who now fear and mourn, I want to say that we are all together with you,” he wrote on Facebook. As a sign of solidarity, rainbow flags were placed near the scene of the attack.