A deadly shooting at a gay bar in Oslo, Norway killed two people and
wounded 21 last Saturday in what is considered by the police as an act of
“Islamic terrorism.” A 42-year-old Norwegian man of Iranian descent was
taken into custody and is being charged for murder, attempted murder, and
terrorist attacks.
Following this tragedy, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere spoke at
the memorial service in the Oslo Cathedral, which was decorated with
brightly colored flowers and rainbow flags.
“During the day, the city was full of people who wanted to speak out, about
sorrow and anger, but also about support and solidarity and the will to
continue on fighting, for the right of every individual to live a free life, a safe
life,” Prime Minister Stoere said.
Also speaking at the memorial service, Olav Fykse Tveit, head of the
Norwegian Protestant Church said that “Bullets cannot kill love. We see that
we can learn, sometimes in spite of ourselves, that diversity is a present, a
richness, and that many homosexuals have a capacity for love that we are
incapable of.”
Some eyewitnesses of the shooting recounted the deadly tragedy. The
shooter took out a gun from his bag and started shooting, prompting
everyone to either fall onto the ground or run away. Following this, one brave
person stood on the shooter’s gun while the shooter was being tackled by
four people. Minutes after the attack, the shooter was apprehended by the
police following the assistance of bystanders. Two weapons were taken from
the crime scene, one of which being an automatic gun.
For now, all of Oslo grieves the loss of two lives and prays for the recovery of
the 21 wounded.
wounded 21 last Saturday in what is considered by the police as an act of
“Islamic terrorism.” A 42-year-old Norwegian man of Iranian descent was
taken into custody and is being charged for murder, attempted murder, and
terrorist attacks.
Following this tragedy, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere spoke at
the memorial service in the Oslo Cathedral, which was decorated with
brightly colored flowers and rainbow flags.
“During the day, the city was full of people who wanted to speak out, about
sorrow and anger, but also about support and solidarity and the will to
continue on fighting, for the right of every individual to live a free life, a safe
life,” Prime Minister Stoere said.
Also speaking at the memorial service, Olav Fykse Tveit, head of the
Norwegian Protestant Church said that “Bullets cannot kill love. We see that
we can learn, sometimes in spite of ourselves, that diversity is a present, a
richness, and that many homosexuals have a capacity for love that we are
incapable of.”
Some eyewitnesses of the shooting recounted the deadly tragedy. The
shooter took out a gun from his bag and started shooting, prompting
everyone to either fall onto the ground or run away. Following this, one brave
person stood on the shooter’s gun while the shooter was being tackled by
four people. Minutes after the attack, the shooter was apprehended by the
police following the assistance of bystanders. Two weapons were taken from
the crime scene, one of which being an automatic gun.
For now, all of Oslo grieves the loss of two lives and prays for the recovery of
the 21 wounded.
