Norway bow-and-arrow attack likely linked to mental illness

By Victoria Klesty

KONGSBERG, Norway (Reuters) – The person who killed 5 individuals with a bow-and-arrow and different weapons in Norway was most likely affected by psychological sickness, police mentioned on Friday.

The attacker went on a half-hour rampage within the southern city of Kongsberg on Wednesday, assaulting individuals within the streets and forcing his method into homes and one grocery store.

Police arrested a suspect the identical day – Espen Andersen Braathen, a 37-year-old Danish citizen who has lived in Kongsberg for many of his life.

Officers had regarded into a number of strains of inquiry, together with “anger, revenge, impulse, jihad, sickness, provocation,” police inspector Per Thomas Omholt advised a information convention.

“The speculation that has been strengthened essentially the most within the first days of the investigation is that the background is sickness,” Omholt mentioned.

The suspect was being held in a locked “psychiatric establishment” and different strains of inquiry had been nonetheless being pursued, he added.

4 girls and one man aged between 50 and 70 had been killed within the assaults in Kongsberg, a city and municipality about 70 km (40 miles) west of the capital, Oslo. Three individuals had been wounded together with an off-duty police officer.

A pupil advised Reuters how he and his associates shut themselves in his bed room because the attacker tried to get into his house.

Police had earlier mentioned Braathen was a convert to Islam who had proven indicators of radicalisation, with the assault showing to be an “act of terror”.

On Friday, Omholt mentioned Braathen had acknowledged killing the victims however had not pleaded responsible.

Figuring out whether or not the assault was an act of terrorism or the results of a psychiatric situation “will likely be a significant, necessary a part of the investigation”, the top of the PST safety police, Hans Sverre Sjoevold, advised Reuters on Thursday.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, who took workplace a day after the assaults, will go to Kongsberg on Friday with Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl.

The loss of life toll was the worst of any assault in Norway since 2011, when far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 individuals, most of them youngsters at a youth camp.

Police have mentioned Braathen is cooperating with the investigation. Any trial won’t happen for months.

Earlier on Friday, a court docket dominated Braathen may very well be held for as much as 4 weeks in pre-trial detention.