The progress of the investigation reinforces doubts about the mental health of Espen Andersen Bråthen, police said.
The sincerity of the conversion to Islam of Espen Andersen Bråthen, who killed five people with a bow on Wednesday in Norway, is questioned at this stage of the investigation, Norwegian police said on Saturday. “The hypothesis that he converted to Islam is less credible», Said Inspector Per Thomas Omholt at a press conference.
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The policeman explained that the progress of the investigation reinforced doubts about the mental health of Espen Andersen Bråthen, who admitted to killing five people and injuring three others on Wednesday in Kongsberg (south-eastern Norway), where he resides. “The assumption is that he did not take (the conversion) very seriously. By this we mean that he did not follow or use the traditions that are common in this culture and religion.», Said the policeman.
“Randomly”
Espen Andersen Bråthen, a 37-year-old Dane, was remanded in custody for four weeks on Friday, the first two in total isolation. Rather than in prison, he will be kept in a medical institution. He has already been heard three times by the police and will be heard again “as soon as his condition allows it“.
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“Everything suggests that he chose his victims at random“And acted alone,” Omholt said, calling the man “unsociable in life and on the internet“. According to the police, he would have thought about his attack “A few days” previously.
Police also revealed the identities of those who died: Andréa Meyer, 52, Hanne Merethe Englund, 56, Liv Berit Borge, 75, Gunnar Erling Sauve, 75 and Gun Marith Madsen, 78. Three injured, who have not been identified, have been released from the hospital since the attack.