Service weapons seized at the scene – VG

On Tuesday at 3:27 p.m., the Southeastern Police District received a message from the Emergency Medical Communication Center (AMK) about a man in Bolkesjø in Telemark who appeared to be affected and who is said to have behaved in a threatening manner towards other people in the place.

In the situation that arose during the contact with the man, the police fired several shots, it is stated in a police press release.

An ambulance was in the immediate vicinity and health personnel immediately implemented life-saving measures.

Unfortunately, the man’s life could not be saved and he was pronounced dead at 4:35 p.m., the police write in the press release.

The man’s relatives have been notified. The man was in his 30s, police confirmed to VG.

Seize police firearms

On Tuesday night, Kripos crime techs are seen entering the home in question. The special unit is investigating the case and they have found a firearm.

– Firearms have been seized, but I cannot comment on what type or how many, says Helle Gulseth, acting head of the investigation department at the Eastern Norway Special Unit for TA.

Gulseth emphasizes to VG that there is talk of seizure of service weapons belonging to the police. This is not a man-made weapon.

The leader of the investigation, Marit Storeng, confirms to VG that the Bureau of Investigation questioned two police officers who were present during the shooting episode in Telemark yesterday night. The special unit has a duty to investigate cases where someone dies as a result of the actions of the police service.

– We interviewed two people last night. When they had to explain themselves about their own service actions and evaluations, they were given suspect status and suspects’ rights, says VG’s head of investigation.

On Wednesday, the Board will continue with the questioning of the other officials who were present. Several witnesses will also be questioned.

Kripos helps with forensic investigations of the crime scene and objects found at the scene.

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– In this case, our task is to draw a map of the circumstances surrounding the firing of the shots and their course. We are in the middle of investigative work and therefore it is too early to comment on the course of events, says Storeng.

– Obviously, this is a priority issue on which we will work intensively in the coming days.

The VG photographer at the scene says several investigators and crime scene technicians visited the home Wednesday morning. Among other things, he has observed staff with equipment used in 3D room scanning.

At 12:40, the photographer reports that letter investigators have been inside the house, but are now leaving. Forensic scientists are still working inside the house.

The greatest activity has been in the attic of the house. It also reports a car that has been locked. It must belong to the deceased.

– Come against them with an ax

One of the owners of a company the man worked for in his 30s tells VG that two colleagues went to the man’s home on Tuesday after a phone call they perceived as concerning.

When they arrived at the house, the door must have been locked and the person in question did not want to let them in.

They entered through the back door, and then he approached them with an ax. They tried to talk and calm him down and perceived it as a threat and withdrew, says the owner.

The two colleagues are then said to have called the police. After police arrived at the scene and moved into the home, the two colleagues are said to have heard four shots.

– I don’t know the cause of the shots. There was no one else in the house, says the owner.

He says that the CEO has brought together all the employees of the company and has set up a crisis team for the company on his own initiative.

A witness, who was close to the scene, tells VG that he saw several policemen and an ambulance for the first time.

– Then I heard at least three shots, says the witness, who wishes to remain anonymous.

– The person who was shot was not threatening others, but himself. She was not well, the witness claims.

Not taken out of service

– He is a person we have met before, but I cannot go into what he has been, says police chief Ole Bredrup Sæverud, about the man who was killed.

The Chief of Police cannot delve into the course of events because the case is being investigated by the Investigation Office.

– We do not know what the background of the man’s presence was, but we perceive it as a threatening situation in the message that reached us, he says.

Due to the content of the report the police received and more information about the man’s health condition, the time to take control of the man was deemed critical, police said in the press release.

The content of the report also meant that it was decided to arm the patrol, police write.

Sæverud emphasizes that the police have followed routines after the incident and that the officials involved will be followed up on Tuesday night.

– Has the service personnel involved been taken out of service?

– At the moment, there has been no reason for that, says Sæverud.

Rapporteur: – Tragic

Mayor Gry Fuglestveit (Labor Party) and the municipality have been informed of what happened.

– My thoughts go first of all to the family members and to all those involved in the case. It’s completely natural when there is such a tragic outcome, Fuglestveit tells VG on Tuesday night.

In addition, he says that a dialogue has been established with the municipality and the police, and that the municipality has made crisis teams available if anyone needs it.

Do you know anything about this case? Tell us on SMS 2200, tel. 22 00 00 00 or email [email protected].

Correction: In the first report of the weapon found at the scene, it was not clear that it was a service weapon. Therefore, VG emphasizes that the seizure of a weapon in the case is a service weapon belonging to the police.

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