Copenhagen mall shooting: Man opens fire killing 3, injuring many
Three people were killed and several others injured in a shooting incident at Denmark's Copenhagen mall on Sunday, Danish police stated, adding that one suspect, a 22-year-old Dane, had been arrested. Soon after the cops arrived at the sizable Fields shopping center, which is situated between the city's center and Copenhagen Airport, the young man—who witnesses reported was carrying a sizable rifle—was peacefully arrested.
Why does this story matter?
Just over a week ago, a shooting incident occurred around a gay bar in neighboring Norway's Oslo, killing two and injuring 21 others. Danish police aren't ruling out a terror angle behind the attack. Denmark last experienced a major terror event in February 2015, killing two people and injuring five in a series of Islamist-motivated shootings at a cultural center, and synagogue in Copenhagen.
The motive behind attack remains unknown: Police
"There are three dead and several injured, three of them in critical condition," Soren Thomassen, Copenhagen police chief, reportedly stated. The suspect's motive, described by authorities as a 22-year-old "ethnic Dane," is unknown. The police knew him "but only peripherally," Thomassen stated. "He's not someone we particularly know." The three fatalities included a 40-year-old man and two young people whose ages aren't known.
Police believes suspect acted alone
According to the investigation's head, there had been speculation about a possible racist or other motives on social media, but "I cannot say that we have anything which supports that at this moment." Earlier, Thomassen stated police can't rule out terror, but believe the alleged killer acted alone. The videos being probed clearly show the suspect with a gun, police added.
The shooting caused panic, Harry Styles' concert was canceled
At 5:30 pm, the shooting caused chaos in the mall. Many visitors were there for the now-canceled Harry Styles concert at the neighboring Royal Arena. "My team and I pray for everyone involved in the Copenhagen mall shooting. I'm shocked," Styles stated on Snapchat. "We thought....people were running because they (saw)....Harry Styles, then...understood...it was people in panic...We ran for our lives," a fan stated.
He was sufficiently psychopathic to go and hunt people: Witness
According to witnesses who were cited by the Danish media, the suspect tried to approach people by pretending that his weapon was fake. One witness reportedly stated, "He was sufficiently psychopathic to go and hunt people, but he wasn't running," More than 100 people were seen rushing out of the mall as the shots were fired, other witnesses told local media.
Several neighboring countries condemned the shooting
PM Mette Frederiksen stated that Denmark was the target of a "cruel attack". Several neighboring leaders condemned the shooting and expressed condolences to the victims' families. Finland's PM, Sanna Marin, denounced the "shocking act of violence," and Michael Martin, the taoiseach of Ireland, expressed his "deepest sympathies to the families." Norwegian leader Jonas Gahr Store stated his "thoughts go to the victims....their relatives....relief crews".
