Two Charged as Accomplices in Deadly Denmark Shooting
Denmark police have charged two men as accomplices in a pair of weekend shooting attacks that left two men dead and at least five others injured.
According to CBS News, the two unidentified suspects were taken into custody sometime on Sunday and are slated to appear in court for a custody hearing on Monday. Authorities add both men are suspected of adding the gunmen elude police.
Although police have yet to formally identify the suspect, several media outlets have identified him as 22-year-old Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, who was later shot and killed during a bloody gun battle with SWAT team officers.
El-Hussein is suspected of opening fire on a crowd of patrons gathered at a cultural center hosting a seminar on free speech where an artist who once drew what some considered to be disparaging cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad was in attendance.
Police have confirmed El-Hussein had a criminal record that included weapons charges and add they believe he acted as a "lone wolf" in Saturday's attacks. Jens Madsen, head of the Danish intelligence agency PET, said investigators believe the gunman may have been inspired by Islamic radicalism.
Authorities have identified the victims as 55-year-old Danish filmmaker Finn Noergaard and 37-year-old security guard Jair Melchior. Police added they later recovered several weapons on El-Hussein's body.
"It was the case that when the suspect was shot and killed during police action, he was armed with pistols," said police commissioner Thorkild Fogde. Added Madsen, "PET is working on a theory that the perpetrator could have been inspired by the events in Paris. He could also have been inspired by material sent out by (the Islamic State group) and others."
Only weeks ago, Islamic radicals in Paris forced their way into the Charlie Hebdo newsroom and took hostages at a local kosher grocery store. Within hours, 17 people had been shot and killed by the extremists.
Since Saturday, thousands of Danish citizens have left flowers at a nearby synagogue in honor of the victims, where both Danish and Israeli flags also hang in tribute.
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