Teenager killed by stabbing at Vinstra

Vinstra Knife StabbingThe police have cordoned off an area at Sorperoa at Vinstra in relation to the fatal knife stabbing on Wednesday. Photo: Einar Almehagen / gd.no

A young woman (16) killed by stabbing at Vinstra

A teenager (female age 16) was stabbed to death at Vinstra in the North Fron Municipality on Wednesday afternoon. Another teenager (male age 16) is arrested and charged in the case. Both The Violent Crime Unit (Kripos) and the Norwegian Child Welfare are involved.

 

– The police received a notification at 3.54 pm regarding stabbings at Vinstra. A minor woman (16) is confirmed dead. The police have control of a minor male suspect (also 16-years-old). The crisis team in Vinstra municipality has been notified of the incident, the Innlandet Police District reports in a short press release.

In addition, an adult is injured. This person is not life-threateningly injured and is transported to Lillehammer Hospital with a cut in a leg, the police informs.

Apprehended outdoors

According to the local newspaper, Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen, the knife stabbings occurred in a residential area in Sorperoa at Vinstra. The police scrambled when they were notified that two persons were stabbed by a knife. Just before 5 pm, it was announced that one victim was confirmed dead.

– We currently know very little. It is unclear what has happened and what kind of relationship there is between the persons involved. The alleged perpetrator was apprehended outdoors, and we firmly believe that we have arrested the culprit, Police Attorney Trine Hanssen tells NTB.

– Both the dead person and the suspect are minors. Both are over 15 years old [16, according to recent information]. Due to age, the Norwegian Child Welfare is routinely linked to the case, she continues.

Both the victim and the suspected perpetrator are Norwegian citizens, and none of them is known to the police from earlier encounters, Hanssen informs NRK.

Hopes to interrogate tonight

It is not known whether the accused admits guilt or acknowledges being linked to the knife attack in any way, shape or form. The motive behind the murder is, naturally, not known.

– It’s a little bit too early to say anything about that. The person will eventually be formally questioned, so we have to come back to how the accused respond to the indictment at a later point in time. It is still too early to say when the young male will be interrogated, Hanssen rounds off.

The arrested has been appointed Lorentz Stavrum as his defence lawyer.

– I have not talked to the accused yet. I have been in contact with the police and understand that it is so hectic at the moment that I have to wait to be granted access. But I’m waiting to converse with my client, and hope that it will happen sometime tonight, Stavrum tells NTB.

Attempted intervention

The injured victim may have been attacked while trying to ward off the incident, Operations Manager, Pål Andersen, ponders to NRK. Police Attorney, Trine Hanssen, does not want to speculate on that.

– I can confirm is that the person is not life-threateningly injured and nothing else, says Hanssen.

It was a witness to the incident who informed the police about the knife stabbing, but Hanssen does not want to relate whether there were other witnesses to the murder except for the hospitalised person. Hanssen relays to VG  that the police have control of what they believe to be the murder weapon.

The police have asked for assistance from the Norwegian Violent Crimes Unit (Kripos) in the investigation.

Three families affected

The police also do not want to say anything about the relationship between the involved persons, but according to the local Mayor, Rune Støstad, are three families affected.

– There are three families who are affected. We have put together a crisis team, which is gathered this very moment. We started the psychosocial team to provide support for those who are in need of it, says Stöstad to NRK.

– It’s a deeply tragic event that affects us very much. Here everybody knows everybody and this will be a difficult matter for a small community like ours, Støstad elaborates.

Halloween

The municipality has put together a crisis team at the Vinstra high school, which will be accessible on Wednesday evening. A hot-line has also been made available.

– We implore the youth at Vinstra to halt all activity relating to Halloween, Mayor Rune Støstad pleads to VG.

The police notify all close relatives of the incident through the evening.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today