Russian citizen charged for attempted murder after stabbing in Oslo

Oslo. Schous plass.Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB scanpix

A Russian citizen in his 30s was charged with attempted murder after a Filipino man was stabbed in Oslo on Tuesday. The police do not connect the incident to terror.

The alert about the knife stabbing, which happened at Eventyrbrua over Akerselva, came Tuesday morning. The police used electric shock weapons and fired warning shots during the arrest, which happened at 8.10.

He is well known by the police, says Anne Alræk Solem, head of section for investigating serious cases of violence in Oslo.

The accused, according to VG, was convicted of violence both in 2014 and 2017. At the last court case, it appears that he has struggled with psychological challenges, substance abuse and anger management.

Outside danger to life
The arrested person, who is in his early 30s and who has been in Norway for several years, has been submitted for health assessment and was not questioned on Tuesday afternoon.

The man who was stabbed is Filipino and in his 30s.

He received medical treatment, but is out of danger, says Solem, who emphasizes that the police are looking at the matter as a very serious violent incident.

Several witnesses say to VG that the man repeatedly called “Allahu akbar” during the incident. The police are also aware of this.

Don’t think it is terror

We do not currently have information that characterizes this as a terror-related event, says Anne Alræk Solem.

PST is routinely informed about the knife stabbing, confirms the communication director Trond Hugubakken to NRK.

Several other people were also threatened by the perpetrator. So far, the police have received three statements, but they encourage others who have been threatened or who witnessed or has video recordings to contact them.

Fire in apartment
Around the time of the knife stabbing there was also an alert about a fire in an apartment in Thorvald Meyers gate. The arrested person has lived for a short period in this apartment, and the police believe there is a connection between the events.

A woman who lives in a collective with the Russian man, told VG that she awoke from a strong smell inside the apartment.

The apartment is completely black, the woman says.

Another woman was also threatened with a knife.

There and then I thought I was going to die. I was really scared, she says.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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