Man armed with bow and arrow kills at least five in Norway attack

Lone suspect in custody after ‘gruesome incident’ over sprawling area left several others wounded

AT LEAST five people were killed and others injured after a man launched a bow and arrow attack in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg yesterday.

Officers arrested the suspect and Oeyvind Aas, the police chief, said it appeared “this person carried out these actions alone”.

The motivation for the shooting is not yet known and police will investigate if the attack was an act of terrorism, a spokesman said.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a news conference last night that police were in control of the situation.

The suspect has been taken to a police station in the nearby town of Drammen. No further details about his identity were given.

It is understood the attacker opened fire in a Coop Extra supermarket on the western side of the town at about 6.15pm.

The TV2 station reported that the man also had a knife or other weapons.

A Coop spokesperson confirmed a “serious incident” had occurred, adding that no staff had been injured.

The attacks took place over “a large area” of Kongsberg which encompassed “several crime scenes” in a municipality with a population of about 28,000 people 50 miles from Oslo.

Large areas of the West side of the city have been cordoned off.

A large emergency response operation was launched, involving armed police, two helicopters and more than 10 ambulances.

The wounded were taken to hospital, but police did not release details of their condition last night.

“The reports coming from Kongsberg tonight are horrifying,” Ms 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.

Kari Anne Sand, the town mayor, said: “This is a gruesome incident, there is nothing else to say. Now we must try to take care of the inhabitants as best we can.”

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.

Norway has one of the world’s lowest crime rates.

Last year, Norwegian police used or threatened to use weapons only 28 times, according to the justice ministry.