Terror struck Norway when an assailant with a bow and arrow killed five and left three wounded. The suspect has been identified as 37-year-old Danish citizen Espen Andersen Braathen. Authorities say the shooting happened in the town of Kongsberg, 50 miles west of Oslo. They also believe the shooter acted on his own, leaving him the sole suspect.
The shooter had been spotted before the killings, prowling the city with a bow. Police officials received numerous messages detailing a man traveling with a bow and arrow in the Kongsberg town center at 6:13 p.m., GMT+2, soon after residents were told to stay indoors. Authorities encountered the perpetrator but failed to arrest him until 6:47 p.m.
Police say Braathen killed four women, one man, and injured three others. The victims were between the ages of 50 and 70. Norway’s domestic intelligence services suspect the attack to be an “act of terror.” As the investigation is underway, the intention of the shooter will be uncovered. However, the perpetrator’s motivation is still unknown, according to The Associated Press.
Violent attacks are rare in Norway, but in 2011, a bombing killed 77 people. The terrorist attack was an act of radicalism that tore Norway’s communities, causing hysteria. Authorities reported that the suspect is a Danish Muslim convert that has a history of concerns over radicalization. Regional Police Chief Ole B. Saeverud Reveals worries last year that Braathen had been radicalized before the attack.
Written by Mikal Eggleston
Sources:
National Public Radio: Norwegian authorities say a deadly bow-and-arrow attack appears to be terrorism; by Scott Neuman
WFMZ: Norway mourns bow-and-arrow victims, recalls 2011 attack; by Jari Tanner
Featured Top Image Courtesy oaø’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Nick’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
