Two people were killed and more than a dozen injured in a shooting outside a popular LGBTQ nightclub in Oslo on Saturday, Norwegian police said.
“The police are investigating the events as a terrorist act,” a police statement said.
The shooting came just hours before Oslo’s annual Pride parade.
The parade’s organizers, Oslo Pride, said police advised them to cancel the event.
“Oslo Pride therefore urges everyone who planned to participate or watch the parade to not show up. All events in connection with Oslo Prides are canceled,” organizers said on the official Facebook page of the event.
What we know about the shooting
The incident happened near the London Pub in central Oslo, according to reports. Norwegian broadcaster TV2 showed footage of people running down Oslo streets in panic as shots rang out in the background.
The Oslo police department said in a tweet that two people were “confirmed dead.” Three people were seriously injured, and 19 received medical treatment, they added.
“I saw a man arrive with a bag, he picked up a gun and started to shoot,” said witness Olav Roenneberg, who works for the public broadcaster NRK. “First, I thought it was an air gun. Then the glass of the bar next door was shattered, and I understood I had to run for cover.”
Suspect caught
The suspect was apprehended nearby by the police, with help from civilians.
The motive behind the attack was not immediately clear as the suspect had not made any statements.
The police have confiscated two firearms used in the attack, spokesperson Tore Barstad said. But authorities don’t believe any other people were involved, he said.
