By Jan M. Olsen and Karl Ritter | Related Press
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A gunman opened fireplace inside a busy shopping center within the Danish capital Sunday, killing a number of folks and wounding a number of others, police mentioned.
A 22-year-old Danish man was arrested, Copenhagen police inspector Søren Thomassen advised reporters, including there was no indication that anybody else was concerned within the assault, although police had been nonetheless investigating.
Gun violence is comparatively uncommon in Denmark.
Thomassen mentioned it was too early to invest on the motive for the taking pictures, which occurred within the late afternoon at Subject’s, one of many greatest purchasing malls in Scandinavia and situated on the outskirts of the Danish capital. When the pictures rang out, some folks hid in outlets whereas others fled in a panicked stampede, witnesses mentioned.
“It's pure terror. That is terrible,” mentioned Hans Christian Stoltz, a 53-year-old IT guide, who was bringing his daughters to see Harry Kinds carry out at a live performance scheduled for Sunday evening close to the mall. “You would possibly surprise how an individual can do that to a different human being, but it surely’s past … past something that’s attainable.”
Thomassen gave no particular casualty depend past saying a number of folks had been lifeless and a number of other wounded. He mentioned the suspect was an “ethnic Dane,” a phrase sometimes used to imply somebody is white.
Danish broadcaster TV2 revealed a grainy photograph of the alleged gunman, a person sporting knee-length shorts and a tank high and holding what seemed to be a rifle in his proper hand.
“He appeared very violent and offended,” eyewitness Mahdi Al-Wazni advised TV2. “He spoke to me and mentioned it (the rifle) isn’t actual as I used to be filming him. He appeared very happy with what he was doing.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen mentioned the Scandinavian nation had been hit by a “merciless assault.”
“It's incomprehensible. Heartbreaking. Pointless,” she mentioned. “Our stunning and normally so secure capital was modified in a cut up second.”
Photographs from the scene confirmed folks operating out of the mall, and TV2 posted a photograph of a person being placed on a stretcher. After the taking pictures, an unlimited contingent of closely armed law enforcement officials patrolled the world, with a number of fireplace division autos additionally parked outdoors the mall.
Laurits Hermansen advised Danish broadcaster DR that he was in a clothes retailer on the purchasing heart together with his household when he heard “three, 4 bangs. Actually loud bangs. It sounded just like the pictures had been being fired simply subsequent to the shop.”
The purchasing heart is on the outskirts of Copenhagen simply throughout from a subway station for a line that connects the town heart with the worldwide airport. A significant freeway additionally runs adjoining to the mall.
Organizers referred to as off the Harry Kinds live performance, which had been scheduled on the close by Royal Enviornment, by order of police.
On Snapchat, Kinds wrote: “My staff and I pray for everybody concerned within the Copenhagen shopping center taking pictures. I'm shocked. Love H.”
The royal palace mentioned a reception with Crown Prince Frederik related to the Tour de France biking race had been canceled. The primary three phases of the race had been held in Denmark this yr. The reception was attributable to be held on the royal yacht that's moored in Soenderborg, the city the place the third stage ended.
In a joint assertion, Queen Margrethe, her son Crown Prince Frederik and his spouse, Crown Princess Mary, mentioned: “We don't but know the total extent of the tragedy, however it's already clear that extra folks have misplaced their lives and that much more have been injured.”
“The state of affairs requires unity and care,” they mentioned in a press release.
The taking pictures got here per week after a mass taking pictures in neighboring Norway, the place police mentioned a Norwegian man of Iranian origin opened fireplace throughout a LGBTQ competition, killing two and wounding greater than 20.
Although the variety of victims in Copenhagen on Sunday was unclear, it seemed to be the worst gun assault in Denmark since February 2015, when a 22-year-old man was killed in a shootout with police after happening a taking pictures spree within the capital that left two folks lifeless and 5 law enforcement officials wounded.
Ritter reported from Unterseen, Switzerland.