The gunman killed by Danish police early Sunday — who is believed to be responsible for killing two people and injuring five in back-to-back attacks at a freedom of speech event and at a Copenhagen synagogue Saturday — was a 22-year-old citizen of Denmark, police said later in the day.
In fact, the young man, whose name has not been released, was known to police because of past criminal acts involving “violations of the Arms Act and violence,” according to a statement from the Copenhagen Police. The suspect was shot and killed by police on Sunday morning after opening fire on officers who were investigating the two attacks, according to the statement. The Copenhagen police discovered two firearms on his body, the statement said.
An extensive manhunt for the suspect began on Saturday afternoon following the reports of gunshots near an event called “Arts, Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression,” organized by controversial Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who has been the target of death threats since caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad in 2007. Vilks was unharmed, but one person was killed and three police officers were injured. Shortly after, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said the violence was a terrorist act and put the entire nation on high alert.
Hours later, early Sunday morning, a civilian and two police officers were shot outside of a synagogue. The civilian later died.
This story originally appeared on NBC News
Elisha Fieldstadt