One dead, six injured in Copenhagen shootings

At least one person was killed and six injured in shootings in the Danish capital Saturday night, with one attack targeting a cultural centre that was hosting a debate on Islam and free speech. The second incident, close to Copenhagen’s main synagogue in the city centre, saw one person shot in the head and two policemen also injured, police said in a statement early Sunday. A 40-year-old man was killed by gunmen at the Krudttonden cultural centre and three police officers wounded. It was not confirmed if the two incidents were related. Swedish artist Lars Vilks — the author of controversial Prophet Mohammed cartoons that sparked worldwide protests in 2007 — was among those at the debate targeted by the gunman, who fled the scene after a shootout with police. Vilks and the French ambassador, who was also attending, were both unharmed. Vilks says he believes he was the intended target of the shooting.

We feel certain now that it was a politically motivated attack, and thereby it was a terrorist attack. We are on high alert all over the country.

Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt

The shootings come a month after extremists killed 12 people at a satirical newspaper in Paris that had also sparked Muslim outrage with its depictions of Muhammad. The depiction of the prophet is deemed insulting to many followers of Islam. According to mainstream Islamic tradition, any physical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad — even a respectful one — is considered blasphemous. While many Muslims have expressed disgust at the deadly assault on Charlie Hebdo employees, many were also deeply offended by its cartoons lampooning Muhammad.

They targeted an artist and also France. We must fight fascism at all costs. We are all Danish tonight.

Charlie Hebdo columnist Patrick Pelloux told AFP

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