A man suspected of opening fire at a mosque in a suburb of Oslo on Saturday has been charged with the murder of a woman found dead in his home, a police official said.
The suspect, identified as a Norwegian man in his 20s, also faces an attempted murder charge in the shooting, which occurred at Al-Noor Islamic Center here. One person was injured in the incident and sustained minor injuries, Oslo Police Superintendent Rune Skjold was quoted as saying by CNN.
The mosque shooting comes at a time when Muslims around the world are observing Eid al-Adha this weekend, one of the most important holidays of the Islamic calendar. It marks the height of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
However, shortly after the attack, investigators found the body of a young woman at the suspect's home in Baerum, a municipality located near Oslo. The police were also quoted as saying that the woman was related to the suspect, but did not specify how.
A member of the mosque told Norwegian state broadcaster NRK that the shooting could have been much worse, but the suspect was stopped by a 75-year-old man.
Imran Mushtaq, a board member at the Al-Noor mosque, said more than a dozen people were praying inside the mosque just ten minutes before the suspect arrived. But, by the time the shooting began, only three older men were left inside, said Mushtaq, who was at his home nearby at the time.
The suspect entered by opening fire through the mosque's locked glass door, Mushtaq said. The 75-year-old managed to overpower the suspect, placed him in a chokehold and sat on top of him until police arrived. He suffered only minor injuries.
Multiple weapons were found inside the mosque, police said. The weapons are believed to be connected to the suspect.
The police are examining the suspect's online activity prior to the shooting at the mosque. But no details have been divulged yet.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
