At least four people have been killed and others injured by a man using a bow and arrows to carry out attacks in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg on Wednesday.
Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported the death toll, citing unnamed sources, after police declined to comment on the number of casualties.
Police did however say will investigate whether the attack amounted to an act of terrorism.
“The man has been apprehended … from the information we now have, this person carried out these actions alone,” police chief Oeyvind Aas told reporters, adding: “It’s natural to consider whether this was an act of terror.”
He declined to comment on the number of casualties but said: “Several people have been injured and several are dead.”
The man has not been questioned yet, and his motive was unknown, Aas said.
Following the attacks, the police directorate said it had immediately ordered officers nationwide to carry firearms. Norwegian police are normally unarmed but officers have access to guns and rifles when needed.
“This is an extra precaution. The police have no indication so far that there is a change in the national threat level,” the directorate said in a statement.
The attacks took place over “a large area” of Kongsberg, a municipality of around 28,000 people in southeastern Norway, police said.
Witnesses reported that the attack began at a Coop Extra store.
“I can confirm that there has been a serious incident in our Coop at Kongsberg,” spokesperson Silje Alisø told VG.
She said that none of their employees are physically injured.
“This is a gruesome incident, there is nothing else to say. Now we must try to take care of the inhabitants as best we can,” town mayor Kari Anne Sand told TV 2.
She said that the attack took place in the Vestiden area, which has housing, shops and a university campus.
Norway’s minister of justice and public security, Monica Maeland, has received updates on the attacks and was closely monitoring the situation, the ministry said.
