The suspect, who is in custody, is a 22-year-old Dane who was arrested near the Fields shopping centre, said police inspector Søren Thomassen, head of the Copenhagen police operations unit. “We know there are several dead” and “many injured,” Thomassen told a news conference, adding that terror could not be ruled out. “We have no information that others are involved. That’s what we know now.” Thomassen did not give a specific number of casualties other than that many people were dead and several wounded. He said the suspect was an “ethnic Dane”, a phrase commonly used to mean someone is white.
Earlier Sunday, Copenhagen Mayor Sophie H. Andersen tweeted: “Terrible reports of shooting at Fields. We don’t know for sure yet how many are injured or dead, but it’s very serious.” Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall, and Danish television station TV2 published a photo of a man being put on a stretcher. Witnesses said people were crying and hiding in shops. People leave a shopping mall after Danish police said they received reports of gunfire in Copenhagen July 3, 2022. Ritzau Scanpix/Olafur Steinar Gestsson via REUTERS Laurich Hermansen told Danish broadcaster DR that he was in a clothing store in the mall with his family when he heard “three or four bangs. Really loud bangs. It sounded like the shots were right next to the store.” A huge presence of heavily armed police was on hand, with several fire engines also parked outside the mall. “One person has been arrested in connection with the Fields shooting. We are unable to say more about the person at this time,” Copenhagen police tweeted. “We have a huge presence in the Fields and we’re working to get a big picture.” The shopping center is located on the outskirts of Copenhagen, directly opposite a metro line that connects the city center with the international airport. A major highway is also adjacent to the Fields, which opened in 2004. A concert by former One Direction band member Harry Styles was scheduled to take place at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT, 2 p.m. EDT) at the nearby Royal Arena. Danish media reported that the concert was cancelled. On Snapchat, Styles wrote: “My team and I are praying for everyone involved in the Copenhagen mall shooting. I’m shocked. Love H.” Shortly after the shooting, the royal palace said a reception with Crown Prince Frederik linked to the Tour de France cycling race was cancelled. The first three stages of the race were held in Denmark this year, the palace said in a statement. The reception was to be held on the royal yacht moored in Soenderborg, the town where the third stage ended.