Norway mosque shooting: Man arrested as one injured in Oslo attack

Police say suspect was young white man who acted alone

A gunman was arrested after a shooting at a mosque in Norway, according to police.

One person was injured during the attack at the Al-Noor Islamic centre in Baerum, around 20km from Oslo.

Police said the gunman was a “young, white man” who appeared to have acted alone.

Several hours later it was reported that a young woman had been found dead at the suspect’s home and that he was suspected of murder.

Assistant chief of police Rune Skjold​ told a press conference: “He is around 20 years old, a Norwegian citizen from the area.”

The incident at the mosque took place shortly after 4pm local time on Saturday, the day before the celebration of the holiest Islamic holiday, Eid-al-Adha or “Feast of the Sacrifice”.

Irfan Mushtaq, a board member, told Norwegian media that members of the congregation had overpowered the gunman, who was wearing a uniform and a helmet.

“The man carried two shotgun-like weapons and a pistol. He broke through a glass door and fired shots,” Mr Mushtaq told TV2.

The victim, who suffered minor injuries, is believed to be a 75-year-old member of the congregation.

Police initially said that he had been shot but later said it was too early to say if the wounds were caused by the gunshots or sustained during the attempt to restrain the gunman.

“There has been a shooting episode inside the mosque,” the Oslo operations centre announced in a tweet on Saturday afternoon.

”A perpetrator has been arrested. The police are at the scene. Nothing indicates that there have been more people involved.”

According to the mosque’s website, the building is equipped with two large prayer rooms on the first floor and rental apartments on the second and third floors.

It implemented extra security measures earlier this year following the massacre of more than 50 people at two New Zealand mosques by a suspected right-wing extremist.