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Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday 

Frazer Norwell
Frazer Norwell - [email protected]
Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday 
A deadly bow and arrow attack took place in Kongsberg, southeastern Norway, last night. Photo from Wikimedia commons.

Find out what's going on in Norway on Thursday with The Local's short roundup of important news. 

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Five killed in bow and arrow attack in Kongsberg

A man armed with a bow and arrows killed five people and wounded two others in southeastern Norway on Wednesday, police said, adding they had arrested the suspect and could not rule out a terrorist motive.

The attack took place in several locations in the town centre of Kongsberg, which lies around 80 km to the southwest of Oslo, at around 6:30 pm.

The attack started shortly before 6:30 pm and was described as covering a large part of Kongsberg, including a Coop supermarket. The suspect was arrested at 6:47 pm, police said.

Police said the suspect, who they say acted alone, had been taken to a police station in the nearby town of Drammen. 

Following the attack, Norway's police directorate has confirmed that police officers across Norway will be temporarily armed. 

 

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LATEST: Five killed in Norway bow and arrow attack

Political leaders react to deadly bow and arrow attack

Incoming Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described Wednesday night's deadly bow and arrow attack in Kongsberg as "cruel and brutal", whilst outgoing PM Erna Solberg said it had shaken the country.

"What we have heard from Kongsberg tonight testifies that a cruel and brutal act has been committed. We still know little about what happened and what is behind it, but we know that several innocent people were killed and that several were injured," Støre said in a post on Facebook.

Outgoing PM Erna Solberg described the attack, which took place in several locations in Kongsberg as "horrifying".

"The reports that come from Kongsberg tonight are horrible. It is a very tragic situation that affects the Kongsberg community," Solberg said at a press conference at 10:45pm on Wednesday.

"These events have shaken us," Solberg added.

The mayor of Kongsberg, Kari Anne Sand, told newspaper VG the attack was "a tragedy for all those involved."

"We are doing all we can," she added. "Right now it is a chaotic situation, and there are a lot of rumours."

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'Cruel and brutal': Norway's political leaders react to Kongsberg attack

Danish citizen charged with Kongsberg bow and arrow attack

A 37-year-old Danish national has been charged over the killing of five people in a bow and arrow attack in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg, police have confirmed.

Norwegian police released a statement early on Thursday confirming the arrest and charge of the Danish citizen living in Kongsberg, countering earlier television reports alleging the attacker was a Norwegian man.

"A 37-year-old man has been arrested and charged after five people were killed and two injured in Kongsberg centre on Wednesday night," said the police statement.

"The man is a Danish citizen but lives in Kongsberg. He was taken into police custody in Drammen on Wednesday night."

READ MORE: Danish citizen charged with deadly Norway bow and arrow attack

Støre to take over from Solberg as PM 

Jonas Gahr Støre will take over from the outgoing Erna Solberg as Prime Minister of Norway. 

Labour leader Støre will form a minority coalition government with the agrarian Centre Party. 

Yesterday Støre and Centre Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum revealed their government policy platform for the next four years. 

You can read about the key details you need to know about here

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