According to Norwegian officials, a shooting at a nightclub in Oslo, Norway, killed at least two people and injured 10 early Saturday morning.
Investigators said the suspect, originally identified as a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen from Iran, was arrested after firing in three locations downtown Oslo.
The motive was unknown, but the organizers of Oslo Pride canceled the parade set on Saturday as the highlight of the week-long festival. One of the shootings took place outside the London Pub, a popular bar in the city's LGBTQ community, hours before the parade began.
Police lawyer Christian Hatro said suspects were murders, attempted murders, and terrorism based on the number of people targeting multiple locations. He said he was detained on suspicion of.
"Our overall assessment is that there is reason to believe that he wanted to cause serious fear in the population," Hatro said.
Hatro said the suspect's mental health was also being investigated.
"If he has a medical history, we need to look up his medical history. That's not what we know now," he said.
The shooting took place around 1 am local time, with panicked delights fleeing the streets and trying to hide from the shooters.
Norwegian public broadcaster NRK journalist Olav Roenneberg said he had witnessed the shooting.
"I saw a man arrive at the scene with a bag. He picked up his weapon and started shooting," Roenneberg told NRK. "At first I thought it was an airsoft gun, then I found that the glass in the bar next door shattered and I had to run to hide myself."
Another witness, Marcus. Nibakken, 46, said he was warned of the incident by the uproar in the area.
"When I entered the bar in Cesar, a lot of people started running and screaming. I thought it was a fight there, so I pulled it out. But I heard it. It was a shooting and a submachine gun. Some people were shooting guns with guns. "
Two of the victims of the shooting were killed and 10 were being treated for serious injuries, but were not considered life-threatening, police inspectors said.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said in a Facebook post, "The shooting outside the London pub in Oslo tonight was a cruel and shocking attack on innocent people."
He said the shooting caused fear and sadness in the LGBTQ community, although the motivation is unknown.
"We are all by your side," writes Gahr Stoere.
Harald V also condolences, saying that he and the Norwegian royal family were "feared by the tragedy of the shooting at night."
"We sympathize with and influence all our relatives and now send warm thoughts to all who are scared, restless and sad," the Norwegian monarch said in a statement. I did. "We must work together to uphold the values of freedom, diversity and respect for each other. We must continue to stand to make everyone feel safe.
Christian Bredeli, who was at the bar, told the Norwegian newspaper VG that he hid on the fourth floor in a group of about 10 people until he was told it was safe to appear.
"Many people were afraid of their lives," he said. "Several injuries were injured on the way home, so I knew something serious had happened."
Norwegian broadcaster TV2 panicked in the background with shots. I showed the images of people running on the streets of Oslo in the state.
Investigators said the suspect was known to police and Norwegian security police, but not to serious violent crimes. His criminal record included drug and weapons crimes against having a knife, Hatro said.
Hatro said police seized two weapons, a pistol and an automatic weapon, after the attack. Neither said it was "not modern" without giving details.
He said the suspect had not made any statements to the police and was in contact with his defense counsel.
Hatro said it was too early to say whether the shooters specifically targeted members of the LGBTQ community.
"We have to scrutinize it, we still don't know," he said.
Still, police advised the organizers of the Pride Festival to cancel the Saturday parade.
"Therefore, Oslo Pride encourages everyone not to attend or watch the parade. All events related to Oslo Pride will be cancelled," the organizer said. It is stated on the official Facebook page.
Inge Alexander Jestvan, leader of the FRI, a Norwegian organization for sexuality and sexual diversity, said the shootings rocked the gay community in the Nordic countries.
"It is difficult for the queer movement to experience this," he was reportedly told by TV2. "We encourage everyone to stand together and take care of each other. We will come back later and be proud and visible, but now is not the time.
Norway has a relatively low crime rate, but has experienced violent attacks by right-wing militants. This was the worst shooting in Europe in 2011, killing 69 people after departure on Utoya. Eight people were killed in the Oslo bomb.
In 2019, another right-wing extremist killed her sister-in-law and fired at a mosque, but was overwhelmed before the injuries.
Police spokesman Torre Barstad told The Associated Press that the motive was not immediately apparent, but it was not clear whether the shooting was related to the pride parade.
"Police are in contact with the organizers of the pride event this Saturday. What steps police should take to protect the event and whether this case has anything to do with pride. There will be a continuous evaluation of the police, "Balstad said.
Norway experienced one of the worst mass shootings in Europe in 2011. After firing a bomb in Oslo and killing eight people, right-wing militants killed 69 people on Utoya.
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