A teenager has been arrested in Oslo after firing a shotgun in the city’s largest shopping centre, police said.
Authorities evacuated the Storo Storsenter in the Norwegian capital shortly after 11am on Monday morning following reports of gunfire.
Police arrested a 19-year-old man at the scene. They later revealed he had called them before the gunshot was fired.
Speaking to reporters after the incident, Oslo Police operations chief Tor Grottum said the incident was “very serious” and that it was fortunate that no injuries were reported.
“We were very quick on the scene, and quickly got the suspect under control,” he told Norwegian news outlet VG. “That may be a contributing factor to why it went so well. There was a great potential for injury.”
A spokesperson for Oslo Police told local media a single shot was fired in a communal area inside the centre and hit the ceiling.
While arresting the suspect, police found a bag containing ammunition and a knife and baseball bat.
Despite there being no injuries, a large police presence including squad cars and a helicopter remained at the shopping centre until later in the morning.
The shopping centre has since reopened but police recommended people stay away from the area so emergency services can work effectively.
The last shooting in Norway occurred in June 2022 when two people were killed and nine seriously injured in a shooting at three locations, mainly outside the London Pub, a popular gay bar.
Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø said Zaniar Matapour, 44, allegedly fired 10 rounds with a machine gun and eight shots with a handgun into a crowd. Matapour, a Norwegian citizen originally from Iran, had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group, Henriksbø said.
