Norway police have arrested a man who killed five people and injured two others using a bow and arrow in Kongsberg town, southwest of the capital Oslo.
A 37-year-old Danish man has been arrested for allegedly carrying out the attack.
Prime Minister Erna Solberg said reports of the incident had been “horrifying”. “I understand that many people are afraid, but it’s important to emphasize that the police are now in control,” she told a news conference.
The attacker is said to have launched the assault inside a Coop Extra supermarket on Kongsberg’s west side. One of those injured was an off-duty police officer who was in the shop at the time.
A spokesperson for the chain later confirmed a “serious incident” at their store, adding that none of their staff were physically injured.
There was reportedly a confrontation with police before the man was eventually detained 34 minutes after the attack began.
One witness told local outlet TV2 that she had heard a commotion and seen a woman taking cover, then a “man standing on the corner with arrows in a quiver on his shoulder and a bow in his hand”.
“Afterwards, I saw people running for their lives. One of them was a woman holding a child by the hand,” she added.Officers are also investigating whether the attacker used other weapons during the incident, Chief Aas told reporters.The suspect moved over a large area, and authorities cordoned off several parts of the town. Residents were ordered to stay indoors so authorities could examine the scene and gather evidence.
Armed police on the streets of Kongsberg after an attacker opened fire on people with a bow and arrowDozens of emergency vehicles went to the scene, including ambulances, police cars, and helicopters.
Norway’s Justice Minister Monica Maeland is closely monitoring the situation, the ministry tweeted.The country’s police directorate has ordered all officers nationwide to carry firearms as an extra precaution. Usually, police in the country are not armed.
“The police have no indication so far that there is a change in the national threat level,” the directorate said in a statement.