Norway's bow-and-arrow attacker sent for psychological evaluation

The Norwegian security service had earlier termed the attack as an 'act of terror'. The attacker is currently subject to psychiatric evaluation.

A Norway court on Friday ordered the bow-and-arrow attacker, who killed five people this week, held in detention at a medical facility after investigation raised questions about his mental stability. This comes a day after the Norwegian security service termed the attack as an ‘act of terror’, adding that the attacker, identified as Espen Andersen Brathen, was already on their radar.

Police work at the scene where an arrow was shot into a wall in Kongsberg, Norway, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021.  (AP)

Prior to the ruling by the Kongsberg court in Norway, prosecutor Ann Iren Svane Mathiassen told news agency AFP that if the detention was granted, the attacker would be held at a medical facility due to questions about his health.

Four women and a man died on Wednesday, while two others were injured in the south-eastern town of Kongsberg in one of the deadliest attacks Norway has seen in a decade.

"The events in Kongsberg currently appear to be an act of terror, but the investigation... will determine in closer detail what the acts were motivated by," Norway's intelligence service PST had said in a statement.

Brathen, 37, is currently in the care of health services and will be subject to a psychiatric evaluation, the police and his lawyer said.