Norwegian police have confirmed the deaths of a police officer in his twenties and a suspect in his forties following an overnight shootout on Saturday in Klepp, near Stavanger, southwest Norway.
The tragic incident, which also left another officer injured, marks a rare occurrence in a country where fatal shootings of police officers are uncommon.
According to the Norwegian news broadcaster NRK, this is the first police fatality in the line of duty since 2004.
Police commissioner Marie Benedicte Bjornland described the event as the “ultimate and most tragic consequence of police work.”
“The mission last night had the worst possible outcome. Two human lives have been lost, and the police have lost a dear colleague,” Bjornland stated on Saturday.
The incident unfolded after police were alerted to a threatening situation involving weapons shortly after midnight.
Upon arrival, an exchange of gunfire ensued, resulting in the fatal injuries.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store called the shooting “a very serious and tragic event that affects us all,” expressing condolences to the affected families and the police force.
The rare loss has sent shockwaves through Norway, a nation known for its low levels of violent crime.
Authorities have launched a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deadly encounter.
This tragic event underscores the dangers of police work even in peaceful societies, leaving the country in mourning.