At 01.14, a man placed a bag on the sidewalk at CJ Hambro’s place in central Oslo, picked up a weapon and opened fire.
A few minutes later, bar visitors wrestled down the suspected shooter – the 42-year-old father of small children, Zaniar Matapour.
– They almost sacrificed their own lives, says Andreas Blix who saw the arrest from his hotel window.
After the night’s mass shooting at the gay bar London Pub in central Oslo, chaotic scenes broke out. From his hotel window, witness Andreas Blix saw people fleeing while he heard volleys of gunfire echoing between the stone houses.
– I see that people run for their lives and then I understand that it is serious, he says.
Andreas Blix picked up his phone to film the chaotic scenes of the summer night.
– When I start filming, I hear maybe six or seven shots. Suddenly I see a person running across the road. Four or five people run after him and they manage to get him down the hill, he says.
What Andreas has seen is the arrest of the suspected perpetrator who has been pointed out by several Norwegian media as Zaniar Matapour, a 42-year-old father of small children living in Oslo. At a press conference this morning, the police announced that he is suspected of murder, attempted murder and terrorist crime after two people died and 21 were injured.
Civilians wrestled down the shooter
The people who ran after the perpetrator and wrestled him down were civilians.
– It is touching to see people do this. They almost sacrificed their own lives, they had no idea if he had more weapons on him or not. That they take that fight is incredible, says Andreas Blix.
NRK’s reporter Olav Rønneberg witnessed the beginning of the shooting against the London Pub.
– I saw a man come to the place with a bag, he picked up a weapon and started firing, he says to the channel.
From the alarm until the 42-year-old was arrested, it took about five minutes, according to the Oslo police. As early this morning, the private individuals who wrestled down the suspect paid tribute.
– There are some people who have made a heroic effort, says police task leader Tore Barstad.