CNN

Multiple people killed in suspected bow and arrow attack in Norway

Oct 13, 2021, 7:18 PM | Updated: 7:52 pm

Police at the scene after an attack in Kongsberg, Norway, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. Several people ...

Police at the scene after an attack in Kongsberg, Norway, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. Several people have been killed and others injured by a man armed with a bow and arrow in a town west of the Norwegian capital, Oslo. (Hakon Mosvold Larsen/NTB Scanpix via AP)

(Hakon Mosvold Larsen/NTB Scanpix via AP)

(CNN) — Five people have been killed and at least two others injured during a sprawling attack in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg, according to local police.

The suspected attacker used a bow and arrow, a spokesman for Norway’s southeastern police district, which includes Kongsberg, told CNN on Wednesday.

The suspect is under arrest and is believed to have acted alone. He has not yet been questioned, according to Øyvind Aas, police chief of the county seat Drammen. There is “no active search for more people,” according to Aas.

Speaking to the press after the attack, the police chief said authorities had not ruled out the possibility of a terror attack. “From the course of events, it is natural to consider whether this is an act of terrorism,” he said.

However, “the apprehended person has not been questioned, and it is therefore too early to say anything about this and what was the person’s motivation.”

The suspect moved across a “large area” in the course of the attack and was apprehended at 6:47 pm local time, a police statement said.

Speaking at a press conference in Oslo, the capital, Erna Solberg, the country’s outgoing prime minister, described the developments in Kongsberg as “gruesome” and promised that “all necessary resources” are being deployed.

“The perpetrator has carried out horrific acts against several people. It is a very dramatic situation that has hit Kongsberg society hard, and the events shake us all,” she said.

The attack comes on the eve of a new government after last month’s parliamentary elections unseated the long-ruling Conservative party. Labour leader Jonas Gahr Støre is due to assume the role of prime minister on Thursday.

In a Facebook post, Støre described the attack as a “cruel and brutal act.”

“My thoughts and deepest sympathy now go to those affected, their families, and to the police, health personnel, and aid workers who are now working full time to provide an overview and assist those who need help.”

According to Aas, one of the injured is an off-duty policeman who was in a store.

“The injured have been taken to hospital for treatment. The Kongsberg municipality has been notified and has set up crisis teams to assist and follow up with those who need it,” he said.

Kongsberg is located 85 kilometers (about 53 miles) west of Oslo.

Police in the country are now temporarily armed

Local police began receiving emergency calls from central Kongsberg at 6:13 pm local time, according to a statement by the southeastern police district.

The calls reported a person walking around with “what was supposedly a bow and arrow.”

Shots were fired by police during the arrest, said Aas.

“It took some time from the time our first patrol was on the scene until he was arrested. We will return to a more detailed description of the course of events when we have a better overview of what happened,” he said.

Police across the country have now been given the rare order to carry firearms as a precaution.

“Due to the serious incident in Kongsberg where several people were killed and injured tonight, the police in Norway are temporarily armed,” the Norwegian Police Directorate said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This is an additional emergency measure,” the statement added. “The police currently have no concrete indications that there is a change in the threat level in the country.”

Under Norwegian law, officers typically must have prior approval to carry firearms.

The attack comes just over a decade since Norway’s worst terrorist attack.

In July 2011, Norwegian far-right extremist Anders Behring Brevik killed 77 people, many of them teenagers, in a bomb attack and gun rampage. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum possible term.

In August 2019, another man stormed an Oslo mosque armed with guns before being overpowered. That year, the country’s intelligence service reported that right-wing terrorism was on the rise globally, and warned that the country would likely be targeted in the near future.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

CNN

Outside of the Yale University Law School is pictured on September 27, 2018 in New Haven, Connectic...

Zenebou Sylla, CNN

Some New England universities, including Yale, break $90,000 barrier for total tuition cost in upcoming school year

(CNN) — Several New England universities and colleges, including Yale, have reached a pinnacle of at least $90,000 for undergraduate tuition and costs starting this fall. Yale University, Tufts University, Boston University (BU), and Wellesley College are among a few private institutions that will top this year’s costs for tuition, housing and other expenses, according to […]

13 hours ago

Former senator Joseph Lieberman...

Jake Tapper, CNN

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman dies at 82

Former Democratic vice presidential nominee and Sen. Joe Lieberman has died, according to a statement from his family.

19 hours ago

Doughnuts are displayed for sale at a Krispy Kreme store on February 13, in Austin, Texas. Krispy K...

Ramishah Maruf, CNN

Krispy Kreme doughnuts are coming to McDonald’s

The Krispy Kreme doughnuts will be available nationwide at participating restaurants by the end of 2026, after a phased rollout beginning later this year.

1 day ago

The Federal Trade Commission is investigating TikTok for its data and security practices, two sourc...

Brian Fung and Samantha Delouya, CNN

FTC investigating TikTok over privacy and security

The probe is yet another complication for the social media platform. It's already facing the threat of a potential US ban or a forced divestment from its Chinese parent company.

1 day ago

A hand holds a tablet stamped with "MF," standing for mifepristone....

CNN

Study shows how self-managed abortion became more common, as Supreme Court abortion drug hearing looms

Medication abortion has become increasingly common since it first became available in the United States two decades ago.

2 days ago

People place flowers at a memorial outside Crocus City Hall in Moscow on Sunday following Friday's ...

Sophie Tanno, Eve Brennan, Anna Chernova and Darya Tarasova, CNN

Thousands gather in Russia to mourn victims of concert hall attack

Russia on Sunday held a day of mourning after at least 137 people were killed in a terrorist attack on a concert venue in Moscow.

3 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Multiple people killed in suspected bow and arrow attack in Norway