2022 Copenhagen mall shooting explained

2022 Copenhagen mall shooting
Location:Field's shopping mall, Ørestad, Copenhagen, Denmark
Target:Shoppers
Date:3 July 2022
Perpetrator:Noah Esbensen
Type:Mass shooting
Weapon:SIG Sauer 200 STR match rifle[1]
Fatalities:3
Injuries:27 (7 by gunfire)
Verdict:Guilty on all charges
Charges:3 murders and 7 attempted murders

On 3 July 2022, a man opened fire at the Field's shopping mall in Copenhagen, Denmark, killing three people and critically wounding four others.[2] [3] [4] A suspect, a Danish man, was arrested after the shooting; he had a history of contact with the psychiatric healthcare system. According to police, there are no indications that the shooting was terrorism.[5] [6] The suspect has been charged with three murders and seven attempted murders.[7] The mass shooting was the first in Denmark since a gang-related shooting in the same city in 2016.[8]

Shooting

Police received the first shooting reports at 17:37 at the Field's shopping mall located in Ørestad, a developing city area on Amager in Copenhagen.[9] A man carrying a rifle and a knifewhich was not used in the attackhad entered the mall sometime before 17:30.[7] [10] A witness said the shooter seemed violent and angry, running and shouting.[11] [12] When directly addressed by the witness, the shooter said that "it is not real".[12] The rifle caliber has been speculated as either 6.5×55mm or .308 Winchester/7.62×51mm.

According to police, the victims appear to have been random, with no indication that any particular group was targeted. The suspect was arrested by police eleven minutes after the shooting had been reported.

Victims

Three people were killed, and four more were seriously wounded by gunfire.[13] The dead are a 17-year-old Danish girl, a 17-year-old Danish boy and a 47-year-old Russian man who was living in Denmark.[14] [15]

Another 23 people received minor injuries, including three whose injuries were from stray gunfire, with the additional twenty individuals injured in the evacuation.[16] The four seriously wounded victims are two Swedish citizens and two Danes.

Perpetrator

A 22-year-old Danish man, later named as Noah Esbensen,[17] was arrested in connection with the shooting.[18] He had a history of contact with the psychiatric healthcare system.[5] [19] Shortly before going to the mall, he uploaded videos to social media where he simulated suicide with the rifle and a gun and said that a specific type of psychiatric medication did not work.[5] [20] When he entered the mall, he went directly to the restroom, and tried to get help from a suicide lifeline for 16 minutes, in vain.[21] This was due to the lifeline not being active in the summer vacation, but they didn't close the line, resulting in callers being put in a non-existent line.

The firearms he used during the shooting and posed with in the videos were not owned by him and he did not have the required firearms license. They were legally owned by a person who was a member of a sport shooting club and was living in the same home as the shooter.[22] [23] In the videos posted by the shooter before the attack, a gun safe can be seen.

The accused has been charged with three murders and seven attempted murders. At a court hearing on 4 July 2022, he was remanded to a closed psychiatric unit.[24] Prior to starting the hearing, the judge asked the media to leave the court room and held the hearing behind closed doors, with the accused remaining in custody until 28 July.[25] The court has banned the release of both the suspect's and the victims' names. The defendant's trial began on 12 June 2023.[26] On 5 July, the defendant was convicted and sentenced to detention in a secure medical facility.[27]

Aftermath

A temporary crisis center where people could receive psychiatric help was opened after the shooting.[16]

Shortly after the shooting, the Danish royal family announced that a reception due to be hosted by Crown Prince Frederik to celebrate Denmark hosting the 2022 Tour de France had been cancelled.[2] British singer Harry Styles cancelled a concert at the nearby Royal Arena scheduled later that evening.[2] [28]

A memorial held on 5 July 2022 at the Field's shopping mall was attended by thousands of people, the Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, other senior political figures as well as Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Christian of Denmark.[29] An additional tribute to the victims, in the form of a minute's silence, was observed at the Tour de France before the start of the fourth stage of the race on 5 July.[30]

Prime minister Frederiksen described the attack as cruel, said that she had the deepest sympathy with the victims and their families, and thanked the police and first aiders.[18] [31]

Notes and References

  1. News: Mørk . Pelle Lykkebo . Lomholt . Anders . Våben fra Field's-skyderi kan stamme fra skytteforening . 4 July 2022 . TV2 . da . 5 July 2022 . 4 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704221550/https://nyheder.tv2.dk/krimi/2022-07-04-vaaben-fra-fields-skyderi-kan-stamme-fra-skytteforening . live .
  2. Web site: Several killed in Copenhagen shopping mall shooting . 2022-07-03 . BBC News . 3 July 2022 . 3 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703183749/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62030919 . live .
  3. News: 3 July 2022 . Flere personer er ramt af skud ved Field's: En anholdt . Several people hit by gunfire in Field's: Police present . Danish . . . live . 3 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703181201/https://politiken.dk/indland/art8866016/Flere-personer-er-ramt-af-skud-ved-Fields-En-anholdt . 3 July 2022.
  4. News: Brandt . Flemming . 3 July 2022 . Politiet: Flere ramt af skud i storcenteret Field's . Police: Several hit by gunfire in Field's mall . Danish . . live . 3 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703181056/https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/politiet-flere-ramt-af-skud-i-storcenteret-fields . 3 July 2022.
  5. News: Det ved vi nu om den formodede gerningsmand . 4 July 2022 . . da . 5 July 2022 . 4 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704105450/https://nyheder.tv2.dk/krimi/2022-07-04-det-ved-vi-nu-om-den-formodede-gerningsmand . live .
  6. News: Politiet: Den mistænkte gerningsmand er kendt i psykiatrien . 4 July 2022 . . da . 5 July 2022 . 4 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704080945/https://politiken.dk/indland/art8866312/Den-mist%C3%A6nkte-gerningsmand-er-kendt-i-psykiatrien . live .
  7. News: Sigtet fængslet på lukket afdeling . 4 July 2022 . . da . 5 July 2022 . 4 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704171900/https://nyheder.tv2.dk/krimi/2022-07-04-sigtet-faengslet-paa-lukket-afdeling . live .
  8. Web site: March 21, 2016 . Mass Shootings in Europe in 2016 . 13 May 2023 . Vice . en.
  9. Web site: A gunman killed 3 people and wounded others at a Copenhagen mall . 3 July 2022 . . 3 July 2022 . 3 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703180329/https://www.npr.org/2022/07/03/1109620631/copenhagen-fields-mall-shooting . live .
  10. Web site: 'Several dead': First images of Copenhagen mall suspect with hunting rifle. 2022-07-03 . NewstalkZB . 3 July 2022 . 3 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703222800/https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/world/several-people-dead-in-copenhagen-shopping-mall-shooting-danish-police-confirm/ . live .
  11. Web site: 3 Dead in Copenhagen Mall Shooting, Police Say . 3 July 2022 . Patel . Vimal . Nielsen . Jasmina . . 3 July 2022 . 3 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703174007/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/03/world/europe/copenhagen-shooting-fields-mall.html . live .
  12. News: Vidne stod tæt på formodet gerningsmand: - Han sagde, at det ikke var ægte . 4 July 2022 . TV2 . da . 5 July 2022 . 4 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704191832/https://nyheder.tv2.dk/krimi/2022-07-03-vidne-stod-taet-paa-formodet-gerningsmand-han-sagde-at-det-ikke-var-aegte . live .
  13. News: Eller . Emil . Trolle . Jakob Slyngborg . Flere personer er dræbt i skyderi i shoppingcenteret Field's: En 22-årig mand er anholdt - Indland . DR . 3 July 2022 . 3 July 2022 . 3 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703163722/http://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/anmeldelse-om-skyderi-ved-shoppintcenteret-fields . live .
  14. Web site: LIVE Copenhagen gunman shot people at random - police. BBC. 3 July 2022. 4 July 2022. 4 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220704081504/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-62031793. live.
  15. News: Mall Shooting Shocks Denmark on a Joyful Summer Weekend. The New York Times. 4 July 2022. 4 July 2022. 4 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220704070911/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/04/world/europe/copenhagen-denmark-mall-shooting.html. live.
  16. Web site: Center med krisehjælp genåbner efter skyderi . 4 July 2022 . Danish Police . da . 5 July 2022 . 4 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704230854/https://politi.dk/koebenhavns-politi/nyhedsliste/center-med-krisehjaelp-genaabner-efter-skyderi/2022/07/04 . live .
  17. News: Crisp . James . 2022-07-05 . Pictured: 'Gunman' charged with killing three in Copenhagen shopping mall attack . en-GB . . 2023-09-17 . 0307-1235.
  18. Web site: Several people killed in shooting in Copenhagen shopping mall as one arrested . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703192812/https://news.sky.com/story/danish-police-responding-to-reports-of-a-shooting-in-shopping-mall-12645139 . 3 July 2022 . 2022-07-03 . Sky News . en.
  19. Web site: Gargiulo . Susanne . Norgaard . Kim . Meilhan . Pierre . Engels . Jorge . Subramaniam . Tara . Suspect in Copenhagen mall shooting that killed three was known to psychiatric professionals, police say . 2022-07-04 . 2022-07-04 . CNN . 4 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704051414/https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/03/europe/copenhagen-mall-shooting-intl/index.html . live .
  20. News: Danes and a Russian citizen among the dead - police . 4 July 2022 . BBC . 5 July 2022 . 5 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220705144535/https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-62031793?ns_linkname=62c28c94b893776ef3342f48%26Danes+and+a+Russian+citizen+among+the+dead+-+police%262022-07-04T06%3A49%3A33.704Z&pinned_post_locator=urn%3Aasset%3Ab0ea6814-f256-4e32-840f-7c5dfcfa5b23&pinned_post_asset_id=62c28c94b893776ef3342f48 . live .
  21. Web site: 2023-06-12 . På et toilet med riffel og ammunition ventede Field's-skyder i 16 minutter på kriselinje. Indtil tålmodigheden slap op . 2023-10-21 . DR . da-DK.
  22. News: Kilder til DR: Formodet gerningsmand forsøgte at kontakte kriselinje kort inden skyderi i Field's . 4 July 2022 . . da . 5 July 2022 . 5 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220705015106/https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/kilder-til-dr-formodet-gerningsmand-forsoegte-kontakte-kriselinje-kort-inden-skyderi . live .
  23. News: Nær relation til anholdt havde adgang til våben, bekræfter skytteforening . 4 July 2022 . . da . 6 July 2022 .
  24. News: Copenhagen mall shooting suspect remanded into psychiatric care . 4 July 2022 . France 24 . 4 July 2022 . 4 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220704074153/https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220704-danish-police-say-mall-shooter-acted-alone-has-history-of-mental-health-issues . live .
  25. Web site: Olsen . Jan M. . Ritter . Karl . 2022-07-04 . Motive likely not terror-related in Copenhagen mall shooting . 2022-07-06 . ABC7 Los Angeles . en . 5 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220705221505/https://abc7.com/copenhagen-mall-shooting-denmark-fields-mass/12016616/ . dead .
  26. Web site: Trial starts of suspect in deadly Danish mall shooting. AP NEWS. 12 June 2023.
  27. Web site: The gunman in the Danish mall shooting that killed 3 people is sentenced to a mental health facility. AP NEWS. 5 July 2023.
  28. Web site: Denmark: Several wounded in shooting at mall in Copenhagen . 2022-07-03 . DW . en-GB . 2022-07-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220703180351/https://www.dw.com/en/denmark-several-wounded-in-shooting-at-copenhagen-mall/a-62344198 . live .
  29. News: Ofrene i Field's-skyderi blev mindet under højtidelighed: Se de vigtigste øjeblikke her . 5 July 2022 . . da . 6 July 2022 .
  30. Web site: 2022-07-05 . Copenhagen holds memorial for mall shooting victims . 2022-07-06 . France 24 . en.
  31. News: Mette Frederisksen kalder angreb i Field's grusomt . 4 July 2022 . Folketidende . da . 5 July 2022 . 5 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220705130604/https://folketidende.dk/artikel/mette-frederiksen-kalder-angreb-i-field-s-grusomt . live .

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