Firing In Copenhagen Shopping Mall, Many Killed, Attacker Arrested
Firing in Copenhagen shopping mall, many killed, attacker arrested.
The firing took place in a shopping mall in the Danish capital Copenhagen late on Sunday night. There are reports of many people being killed during this.
The condition of 3 of the injured is critical. According to the news agency Reuters, a 22-year-old Danish youth has been arrested. However, till now the police have only confirmed the incident of firing.
Soren Thomson, head of the Copenhagen Police Operations Unit, said the possibility of a terroristic motive behind the incident could not be ruled out.
He said- At present it is not known whether some more people are involved in this incident. We are investigating.
According to preliminary information, the incident took place at the Fields Shopping Mall at a time when many people were present here due to the holiday.
During this, suddenly the sounds of firing and screaming were heard. After this, a stampede broke out and people ran outside.
Thomson called the suspect an “ethnic den” but said it was too early to establish a motive. “We are investigating this as an act where we cannot deny that it is a terrorist incident,” the police chief said.
He said that he did not find any indication that the man did this work in collaboration with other people. Police are increasing deployment throughout Copenhagen, including shopping malls.
The attack came two days after this year’s Tour de France cycling competition began in Copenhagen. Tour organizers have issued a statement expressing sympathy.
It added that “the entire caravan of the Tour de France extends its deepest condolences to the victims and their families.”
Pictures from the scene showed children and their parents running away from the building and ambulance workers carrying people on stretchers.
Witnesses, quoted by Danish media, said they saw more than 100 people running to exit the mall when the first shot was fired.
Thea Schmidt, who was in the mall at the time of the attack, told broadcaster TV2: “We saw several people suddenly rushing to the exit, and then we heard a bang. Then we also ran out of there.”
Earlier, Copenhagen Police wrote on Twitter, “A large number of police forces have been deployed around the large field mall in the Amager district between the city center and the airport.”
“We are at the spot, shots were fired and many people were injured,” he said.
After the incident, the police urged the people trapped in the building to wait for their arrival. Along with this, other people have been asked to stay away from the area.
According to an AFP correspondent at the scene, at around 7:30 pm the roads around the mall were blocked, the metro was stopped and a helicopter was flying overhead.
