News Alert, Murder | Homicide alert: The woman may be an accidental victim

Because the woman may be an accidental victim, the police in Arendal have raised the alert.

– We have a very limited basis for assessing the danger to the public, says Chief of Staff Vidar Arnesen to Nettavisen after Wednesday’s press conference in Arendal. He made it clear that because the woman may be an accidental victim, and the police do not know who the perpetrator is, there is a possible increased danger to the public.

– But it is very difficult to make an adequate assessment of this, he pointed out.

Police prosecutor Vanja Bruvoll warned the public against speculating about the death in Arendal, and to stick to the factual information they receive from the police.

– There are many rumours. It is an important message to the citizens. It is to stick to the factual information they get from the police and not to the information they may hear around, she said during the press conference in Arendal on Wednesday afternoon.

Autopsy report indicated murder

The police opened a homicide investigation after the preliminary autopsy report and other information indicated that the woman was killed. The police do not want to say what kind of damage the woman has suffered, or whether there were visible signs on the woman that suggested she might have been exposed to something criminal.

The police also do not want to say where the woman was injured. Currently, the police have little information about the perpetrator.

– We have very little basis to say anything about the perpetrator, said chief of staff Vidar Arnesen at the press conference.

The murder investigation was first announced in this press release from the police on Wednesday afternoon. The following was stated there:

At 09.27 on Tuesday morning, the police received a report from AMK about an injured person at Boots pharmacy in Arendal. She was pronounced dead a short time later.

– This is a terrible tragedy. Our focus now is to take care of those affected, relatives and employees, CEO Kathrine Mehlin of Boots’ pharmacy has previously stated in a press release.

Read also: Woman declared dead in Arendal – the entire street blocked off

Employee at the pharmacy

Large police teams rushed to the incident and were first investigated to clarify whether the police were facing an accident or a criminal offence, and to secure any traces and evidence related to the incident.

Police investigations show that the woman was probably killed. Life-saving first aid was attempted inside the Boots pharmacy on Tuesday morning, but unfortunately life could not be saved.

The murdered woman was employed at the Boots pharmacy in the center of Arendal. The next of kin have been notified, but currently do not want the woman’s identity to be made public.

– Several witness interviews have been carried out, and the police have obtained video material which is now being reviewed, at the same time that the police are going through the technical investigations that were carried out at the scene. At the present time, we cannot comment on questions about any findings or seizures in the case, says Bruvoll.

Emergency preparedness raised

Chief of staff Vidar Arnesen in the Agder police district says that the police district has now raised the alert.

– At the present time, we do not know who the perpetrator is or what motives the perpetrator had. Therefore, we also have limited grounds for assessing the danger to the public. Agder police district has chosen to raise the level of preparedness to ensure a faster response capability in Agder police district. This means that the police are present with more civilian and uniformed personnel in Agder and Arendal, says Arnesen.

– We ask the population to follow along and have a low threshold for contacting the police. We fully understand that this is a demanding situation. The case naturally has the highest priority for the police and is being investigated with all available resources, says Arnesen.