By Jan M. Olsen

A man armed with a bow and arrows killed several people and wounded others Wednesday near the Norwegian capital of Oslo before he was arrested, authorities said.

The police chief in the town of Kongsberg said there was “a confrontation” between officers and the assailant, but he did not elaborate. He said there were several deaths but offered no details.

Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported that at least four people were dead.

“The man who carried out the act has been arrested by the police, and there is no active search for more people. Based on the information we have, there is one person behind this,” Police Chief Oeying Aas said.

Acting Prime Minister Erna Solberg described the attack as “gruesome” and said it was too early to speculate on the man's motive. The prime minister-designate, Jonas Gahr Stoere, who is expected to take office Thursday, called the assault “a cruel and brutal act” in comments to Norwegian news agency NTB.

Police were alerted to the attack around 6:30 p.m. and arrested the suspect about 20 minutes later. The community is 66 kilometers (41 miles) southwest of Oslo.

According to police, the suspect walked around the city shooting at people with arrows. Several people were wounded in shops, Aas said.

The man has not been questioned yet, Aas said.

City officials invited people who were affected by the attack and their relatives to gather for support at a local hotel.

The attack comes over a decade after Anders Behring Breivik, a right-wing extremist, set off a bomb in Oslo’s government district and then carried out a shooting massacre at the summer camp of the left-wing Labor Party’s youth organization on Utoya island. The violence on July 22, 2011, killed 77 people and stunned Norway.

Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum under Norwegian law, but his term can be extended as long as he’s considered a danger to society.

Share:
More In Culture
Avoiding 'Mom Guilt' at Work; Empowering Women Through Jewelry
On this episode of ChedHER: Lissy Hu, CEO and Founder of CarePort, powered by WellSky, breaks down how to avoid 'mom guilt' at work; Katie Hotze, Founder and CEO of Grocery Shopii, explains how she's creating a platform that allows for personalized meal planning and recipes into a grocer's eCommerce platform; Nicole Wegman, Founder and CEO of Ring Concierge, talks how she's creating luxury designs for women, by women.
How to Avoid 'Mom Guilt' in the Workplace
We are entering yet a new era of work across corporate America. Lissy Hu, CEO and Founder of CarePort, powered by WellSky, joins ChedHER to discuss what this new era means for working mothers, and how to avoid 'mom guilt' at work.
Ring Concierge CEO on Empowering Women Through Jewelry
The luxury jewelry industry is heavily male-dominated. Nicole Wegman, Founder and CEO of Ring Concierge, joins ChedHER to discuss how she's creating luxury designs for women, by women and how social media has played a major role in building her business.
'Pitch Social' Aims to Change the Way We Meet People Online
Trying to meet people online has become a predictable routine. Now, one app is switching it up by allowing users to swipe right on plans and outings rather than faces. Pitch Social co-founders Daniel Antonio and Ryan Snowden joins Between Bells to talk about their app.
Playboy CEO on Success 2021 Earnings, Evolving the Iconic Brand
Playboy released its fourth quarter and full year 2021 results, reporting an annual revenue of $247 million, up 67 percent year-over-year. The venerable lifestyle and entertainment brand had a whirlwind of a year — going public for a second time, completing three acquisitions, and growing its workforce to more than 1,100 employees, all while dealing with ongoing supply chain issues and other COVID-related challenges. CEO Ben Kohn joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the long pivot away from its legacy print product to digital. "It gives us a truly competitive advantage, especially when you think of this world we live in today with the changes to iOS last year, what you saw happen with Facebook, the lack of performance marketing," he said. "We now have an organic audience in partnership with our creators that we can market other products and services to as well."
Load More