Copenhagen shooting: what happened at Fields shopping mall as gun attack leaves ‘several dead’

A shooting at a Copenhagen shopping mall has left several dead and injured, police said.

The suspect, who is in custody, is a 22-year-old Danish man who was detained near the Fields shopping mall, said police inspector Soren Thomassen, head of the Copenhagen police operations unit.

What have police said?

“We know that there are several dead” and “several injured”, Thomassen told a news conference, adding that terror cannot be ruled out.

“We do not have information that others are involved. this is what we know now.”

Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall, and Denmark’s TV2 broadcaster posted a photo of a man being put on a stretcher. Witnesses said people were crying and hid in shops.

Copenhagen Mayor Sophie H Andersen tweeted: “Terrible reports of shooting in Fields. We do not yet know for sure how many were injured or dead, but it is very serious.”

Witness: ‘really loud bangs’

Laurits Hermansen told Danish broadcaster DR that he was in a clothing store at the shopping centre with his family when he heard “three-four bangs. Really loud bangs. It sounded like the shots were being fired just next to the store”.

Police said they were first alerted to the shooting at 5:36pm (4.36pm UK time) on Sunday (3 July).

A huge presence of heavily-armed police officers was on hand, with several fire department vehicles also parked outside the mall.

Harry Styles concert nearby

A Harry Styles concert in the Danish capital is expected to go ahead tonight despite a fatal shooting at a nearby shopping centre.

The former One Direction star, 28, is performing at the Royal Arena venue as part of his Love On Tour shows.

The PA news agency understands the show is expected to go ahead as law enforcement in the area has indicated to organisers they are safely permitted to do so.

The concert is listed as beginning at 8pm local time (7pm UK time).