Danish man who killed five people in bow and arrow attack at Norwegian supermarket is sentenced to psychiatric care and ‘cannot be held criminally responsible’
- Espen Andersen Brathen went on a bloody rampage in Kongsberg in October
- He was armed with a bow, 60 arrows and four knives, killing five
- It is believed the killer suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and was spared jail
A Danish man who killed five people in a bloody bow and arrow rampage in a Norwegian town has been sentenced to full-time psychiatric care because he ‘cannot be held criminally responsible’.
Espen Andersen Brathen, who spread terror through the peaceful streets of Kongsberg in October, unleashed a volley of arrows from inside and outside a supermarket and also knifed his victims to death.
According to the prosecution, Brathen was armed with a bow, 60 arrows and four knives on the day of the attacks.
Espen Andersen Brathen has been sentenced to full-time psychiatric care because he ‘cannot be held criminally responsible’
Bråthen, a Danish citizen who lived most of his life in Norway, was arrested by police more than 30 minutes after his rampage began
Kongsberg is a small town in southern Norway that straddles the Numedalslågen river with a population of about 26,000. It is known as the home of the Royal Norwegian Mint, houses the headquarters of a major arms manufacturer, and serves as a satellite campus for the University of South-Eastern Norway
Last month, the 38-year-old who has long-suffered from mental illness, pleaded guilty to the charges of murder and attempted murder.
In their verdict delivered Thursday, the judges said ‘the defendant clearly had comprehension and functional disorders because of his condition’ at the time of the attack.
‘The court therefore finds that the defendant cannot be held criminally responsible for any of the charges,’ the verdict said.
Brathen had been living for years in Kongsberg, home to about 25,000 people some 50 miles west of the capital Oslo, and authorities have said he had a medical history.
The Norwegian security services PST, which are responsible for counter-terrorism, also said the man had been on their radar.
The bow and arrow killer who rampaged through a Norwegian town killed all five of his victims in the same street
Retired couple Gunnar Sauve and Liv Borge aged in their 60s, were among those killed by Brathen
Andrea Meyer, 52, who was originally from Hamburg, also died at the hands of the killer
He was arrested 35 minutes after the first reports of an attack and was swiftly moved to a medical institution.
Three experts who observed him concluded that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.
Both the prosecution and the defence argued that he could not be held criminally responsible and advocated a psychiatric commitment rather than a prison sentence.
His victims were four women and one man aged from 52 to 78.
Among the dead were Gunnar Sauve and Liv Borge, a married couple who were killed in their ground floor apartment.
Another victim was named as artist Gun Marith Madsen, 75, who walked with the aid of a frame.
Another victim was named locally as frail artist Gun Marith Madsen, 75, who walked with the aid of a frame
Bråthen began his rampage by taking potshots at shoppers inside the Coop Extra supermarket in the sleepy town of Kongsberg (pictured)
The killer murdered former electricity firm employee Ms Borge (left) and ex legal official Mr Sauve in their ground floor apartment
Andrea Meyer, 52, who was originally from Hamburg, died at the hands of the killer while ceramic artist Hanne Englund who was aged in her 50s was also killed.
Local police officer Rigoberto Villarroel, 48, was in the store with his family when Brathen began shooting his deadly arrows.
He warned other shoppers to get away and was on the phone to his colleagues to tell them what was happening when Brathen shot at him and left an arrow embedded in his back.
The brave officer continued to shout warnings at passers-by as he stood at the entrance to the store, but Brathen managed to slip away while firing off other arrows, leaving at least one sticking out of a wooden house on Wednesday evening.
The suspect ran around 250m down a hill, discarding his bow and a quiver of arrows on the way, to reach Hytegatten which is one of the most historic streets in Kongsberg, with a mix of clapperboard houses dating back to the 18th century and more modern properties.
Forensics dust for prints at the home of Mohammed Shabam who saw the bow-and-arrow attacker try to break into his property
Once he was in Hytegatten, he murdered former electricity firm employee Ms Borge and ex legal official Mr Sauve in their ground floor apartment with panoramic views over the Numedalslågen River which flows through the town.
Mrs Madsen was killed in her ground floor apartment at the end of the same street, around 100m away from the home of Mr Sauve and Ms Borge.
Neighbours said two men living in the flat above her rushed to help after hearing a disturbance, but were unable to save her.
Hanne Englund who was aged in her 50s was earlier revealed to have also been murdered by Bråthen after he apparently got into her studio home in Hytegatten and barricaded himself inside.
Local residents described the mother-of-two who had a long term partner as ‘warm hearted’ and ‘flamboyant’ and ‘beautiful’ with many friends around the town, and known for holding an annual midsummer party in her garden for all her neighbours.
Many people in the town are said to have often left their doors unlocked because of the area’s low crime rate and the trust traditionally shown to neighbours in Norwegian society.
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