The alleged perpetrator of the attack which killed two people and injured 21, including ten seriously, is, according to the Oslo police, a 42-year-old Norwegian of Iranian origin known to the services in charge of anti-terrorism (PST) .
“He is suspected of homicide, attempted homicide and terrorist act,” said a police official, Christian Hatlo, during a press conference.
This last count is motivated by “the number of injured and killed, the number of crime scenes – at least three – and (…) there is good reason to believe that he intended to sow terror,” he added.
According to the police, the vital prognosis of the injured is not or no longer engaged.
The shooting occurred around 1 a.m. (2300 GMT Friday) outside a pub, Per på hjørnet, then in front of an adjoining gay club, the London Pub, in the center of the Norwegian capital, then crowded in this hot summer night.
“There are reasons to believe that this is a hate crime”, added Mr. Hatlo, referring to the nature of the places targeted, “in particular the London Pub”.
The LGBT Pride march scheduled for Saturday afternoon in Oslo has been cancelled.
Following “clear” recommendations from the police, “all Oslo Pride-related events are cancelled,” the organizers wrote in a statement.
As a sign of solidarity, rainbow flags were placed near the scene of the attack.
“It is estimated at this stage that there was only one author” behind the shooting “but nothing can be said with certainty so early” in the investigation, said inspector Tore Soldal, during the conference. Press.
However, police numbers have been reinforced in the capital to deal with possible other incidents, and officers, who are generally unarmed in Norway, have been instructed to arm themselves throughout the kingdom.
For their part, the anti-terrorist services said they were “working to determine whether other attacks may have been planned”. “For the moment, we have no indication in this direction”, specified the PST on Twitter.
– ‘War scene’ –
The suspect was arrested at 1:19 a.m. Saturday (2319 GMT Friday), five minutes after the first reports.
Civilians assisted in his capture as well as first aid, according to the police who hailed “a heroic contribution”.
The man 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 in connection with the attack: an automatic weapon and a handgun which Mr. Hatlo presented as “antique”.
A witness interviewed by the Verdens Gang (VG) newspaper 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.
“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.
A government conference is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (12:00 GMT).
King Harald said he was “horrified”. “We must come together to defend our values: freedom, diversity and mutual respect,” he said in an official statement.
Generally peaceful, Norway has nevertheless been the scene of bloody attacks such as those perpetrated on July 22, 2011 by right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik.
