Manhunt shuts off Denmark crossings

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A nationwide police manhunt paralyzed Denmark on Friday after authorities briefly cut off the eastern island of Zealand from the rest of the country as well as from Germany and Sweden. Copenhagen, the capital, is in Zealand.

Bridges from Zealand to the central island of Funen and to neighboring Sweden were closed down for about two hours, and ferry crossings to Germany and Sweden also were halted. Shutting down these key crossings caused major traffic jams near the bridges to Sweden and the mainland.

The Copenhagen police later said all bridges and ferry crossings had been reopened but heavily armed police officers were screening cars at bridges and ferries across the country.

Television footage showed cars being checked as they drove through roadblocks at the Oresund bridge to Sweden, causing traffic jams up to 14 miles long, according to the Danish Road Directorate.

Copenhagen police said they were looking for a black Swedish-registered car with “possibly three people onboard” in connection with “serious criminality.” They later said the car had been found, but made no mention of the people, or of any arrests being made.

Sweden’s Aftonbladet paper, citing an unnamed police source, said the case was likely connected to a kidnapping.