Iranian-born Man Who Shooted Deadly At Gay Oslo Bar Threatened 30 Years In Prison

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - A Norwegian court found a man guilty of a deadly shooting at a gay bar in Oslo in 2022 during the city's annual Gay Pride celebration.

Reported by Reuters, Norwegian media NRK, TV2, Dagbladet and VG reported the verdict announced Thursday, July 4.

Two people were killed, nine suffered gunshot wounds and 25 others were injured after the shooting in London Pub, LGBTQ+ center, which has been in Oslo for a long time, as well as a nearby bar in the center of the Norwegian capital.

Zaniar Matapour, a 45-year-old Norwegian citizen, described by police as a radical with a history of mental illness, was tried on charges of terrorism and serious murder.

He will serve a 30-year prison sentence, which could be extended indefinitely if he is deemed to continue to pose a threat to the public, media organizations reported.

"This is a relief," said the head of the support group for survivors and the victim's family, Espen Evjenth, to the NRK public broadcaster.

"This decision is an important step to build a common understanding in our society of what is happening," he added.

The decision came days after the annual Gay Pride parade in Oslo, which paid tribute to the memories of the shooting victims.