Norway bow-and-arrow suspect who killed five people was reported for radicalization, police say

The Danish antheral suspected of carrying retired a bow-and-arrow onslaught which killed 5 radical successful a Norwegian municipality had been flagged earlier implicit concerns of radicalization, constabulary said connected Thursday, aft an onslaught the acting premier curate described arsenic “horrific.”

Police are inactive investigating and person yet to springiness a motive for the uncommon killings, the country’s worst specified onslaught successful years, which injured 2 much radical extracurricular the Norwegian capital.

Law enforcement officers successful Kongsberg, astir 50 miles southwest of Oslo, arrested a 37-year-old resident, whom they said appeared to beryllium acting alone, aft the confrontation precocious connected Wednesday.

Regional constabulary main Ole Bredrup Saeverud told reporters Thursday greeting that the fishy was a person to Islam and constabulary had received reports successful the past of concerns that the antheral was radicalized, though nary were flagged to them this year.

Local constabulary authoritative Oeyvind Aas said precocious connected Wednesday that it was “too early” to find a motive, but “considering the people of events, it is earthy to inquire whether this is simply a violent incident.”

In a connection aft the rampage, constabulary said they released immoderate idiosyncratic details astir the fishy due to the fact that of rumors circulating connected societal media astir imaginable perpetrators who were not really involved.

The attacks successful Norway began soon aft 6 p.m., according to constabulary and section media, and took spot implicit a “large area” successful Kongsberg, including a Coop Extra supermarket connected the town’s westbound side.

Police, helicopters and weaponry squads descended connected the town, ordering radical to enactment wrong and arresting the alleged attacker astir 30 minutes aft the rampage began. After the archetypal constabulary reports came successful astatine 6.13 p.m., it “took immoderate time” from erstwhile the archetypal officers were on-site earlier the man, who had been moving astir the municipality halfway equipped with a bow and arrow, was arrested astatine 6.47 p.m.

An off-duty serviceman was among the injured, constabulary said.

Justice Minister Monica Mæland said each Norwegian constabulary were temporarily ordered to transportation arms Wednesday night. Norway’s nationalist broadcaster NRK reported that constabulary had cordoned disconnected an country successful cardinal Kongsberg and that the fishy was transferred to a precinct successful the metropolis of Drammen, astir 25 miles to the east.

“The perpetrator has carried retired horrific acts against respective people,” acting premier curate Erna Solberg said astatine a quality conference, calling the onslaught “gruesome.”

The incoming premier minister, Jonas Gahr Stoere, besides said the battle was “a cruel and brutal act.”

Wednesday’s decease toll is Norway’s worst since 2011, erstwhile Anders Behring Breivik, a right-wing extremist, killed 77 radical successful a weaponry and wide shooting attack.

He is serving Norway’s maximum condemnation of 21 years, which tin beryllium extended indefinitely.