Five Dead as Arrows Rain Down with Sirens... Norway Engulfed in Fear

Local Witness Testifies to Hearing Sirens Before Indiscriminate Attack

On the 13th (local time), in the small Norwegian town of Kongsberg, a man armed with a bow and arrow carried out a indiscriminate attack, resulting in 5 deaths and 2 injuries. / Photo by BBC YouTube video capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] A man in Norway suddenly shot arrows, killing five people. Witnesses reported hearing sirens at the time of the incident, leaving local residents in fear.

According to European local media such as BBC and iNews on the 13th (local time), the incident occurred around 6 p.m. in the small Norwegian town of Kongsberg. A man armed with a bow and arrows wandered near a busy area and suddenly launched a indiscriminate attack, killing five and injuring two. It is reported that the man shot arrows as if "hunting" the residents.

The police, who responded to the report, arrested the man about 30 minutes after the incident and are currently investigating.

One witness told iNews that sirens were heard before the man started shooting arrows. The witness said, "I was watching the drama 'Ojingeo Geim' (Squid Game) at home when suddenly I heard sirens. At first, I thought it was a sound from the drama, but soon realized it was not," explaining the situation at the time.

He added, "Then someone shouted 'Put down the weapon,' and when I checked outside, it was a police officer." The witness is reported to live about 20 meters from the scene of the incident.

The local police who apprehended the suspect believe this was a lone act and are investigating whether any other weapons besides arrows were used. However, it is still too early to determine whether the motive behind the incident was 'terrorism.'

Immediately after the incident, local police ordered all police nationwide to be armed with firearms as a precautionary measure. It is known that Norwegian police usually patrol without carrying firearms.

Meanwhile, this is not the first indiscriminate attack in Norway. Ten years ago, on July 22, 2011, far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik detonated explosives and carried out a shooting spree in the capital Oslo, killing 77 people. He was later sentenced to the maximum sentence under Norwegian law, 21 years in prison, and is currently serving his sentence at Skien Prison.