A 23-year-old man has been charged with murder and attempted murder for allegedly opening fire in a crowded Copenhagen shopping centre last year, killing three people and injuring several more, Danish police said.
Danish authorities have ruled out the attack being related to terrorism. The suspect — who was known to mental health services — allegedly acted alone and apparently selected his victims at random.
Police said that on July 3, the suspect, who was not identified, opened fire inside one of Scandinavia’s biggest shopping centres on the outskirts of the Danish capital. The suspect, carrying a rifle and knife, was quickly arrested. Police said the firearm he had was obtained illegally.
The man was charged on Wednesday with three counts of murder, 11 counts of attempted murder and one count of attempted murder by shooting at a group of about 21 people, prosecutor Soren Harbo said in a statement.
He said it was “an extremely serious case” and the charges were made after investigating the incident “very carefully”.
A trial in the case has been set to start on June 12 at the Copenhagen District Court. It is scheduled to end on July 5.
Two dozen people were slightly hurt, most in a panicked stampede after shots rang out at the Field’s shopping centre, on the outskirts of the Danish capital. A Harry Styles concert that was scheduled for hours later nearby was cancelled due to the shooting.
Gun violence is relatively rare in Denmark.
