Danish authorities have killed a suspect in an overnight shootout after two separate attacks in Copenhagen that left two dead and five injured, according to reports.
In the first attack, controversial cartoonist Lars Vilks was speaking at a panel on “Art, Blasphemy and the Freedom of Expression” at Krudttoenden café when an unnamed suspect fired into the cafe.
One man attending the talks was killed and three officers wounded in that attack, according to reports.
Hours after the initial attack, a man opened fire on a synagogue, injuring two and killing one. It was not immediately clear whether the same suspect was involved in both attacks.
“As a nation, we have experienced a series of hours we will never forget,” Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said Sunday, according to CNN. “We have tasted the ugly taste of fear and powerlessness that terror would like to create. But we have also, as a society, answered back.”
Vilks has been targeted by Islamic extremists for his controversial renderings of the Prophet Muhammed.
Danish police tracked and ended up in a shootout with the suspect believed to be responsible for the cafe attack, where he was killed, according to reports. A search of the suspect’s apartment found a gun and clothing matching images of the shooter from video surveillance, according to reports.
French ambassador to Denmark François Zimeray was also in attendance at the cafe panel and was to speak about the brutal attacks on Paris satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo last month.
Zimeray tweeted “still alive in room” shortly after a reported 30 rounds were fired at the gathering.
The fatality at the cafe was a male who attended the presentation, according to news reports.
According to the Associated Press, the gunman was between 25-30 years old, and police released a blurred photograph of the suspect wearing dark clothes and a scarf, according to reports.
Vilks was taken to safety, according to various Twitter feeds of Danish media.
