Police Press Conference: NRK Vestland Announces 11 AM Event

– The perpetrator is still at large, says police prosecutor Inger Lise Høyland during a press conference on Tuesday.

– We do not rule out that there may be more involved than one person, adds Høyland.

Kripos and PST assist the West police district.

Høyland says on Tuesday that the police still have no suspects after a man in his 20s was killed in Arna in Bergen on Sunday.

The deceased is an Afghan citizen who came to Norway in 2021. He lived with his wife at the address in Arna.

The wife suffered minor injuries. She will be questioned on Tuesday, the police report.

The police believe there is nothing to indicate that the perpetrator or perpetrators pose a threat to others.

– The way the murder took place indicates that it was aimed at the deceased, says Høyland.

Asking for more tips

The police have received more than 40 tips after they asked for information from anyone who had been in the area between 8.30pm and midnight on Sunday.

– We are still asking for tips, says Høyland on Tuesday.

The police ask the public to look away from descriptions that have appeared in several media about a potential perpetrator.

– We don’t want the public to lock onto the description given, says Høyland.

– This person may have changed clothes and have different movements than what has been communicated. There may also be other people involved, says Høyland.

She emphasizes again that the investigation is in an early phase.

– We want tips on all movements in the area. It also applies to various weapons and objects that may have been used.

Have several hypotheses

The police are now working with several hypotheses for the murder. The police are investigating, among other things, the man’s background from Afghanistan.

Witnesses NRK and other media have spoken to say that the man has a past from the Afghan military.

– The man’s background from Afghanistan is of course of interest to us. But we are also looking at whether the murder is connected to the deceased’s private affairs here at home, says Høyland.

– Highest priority

The man in his 20s will undergo an autopsy at the Gades Institute at Haukeland University Hospital on Tuesday.

The police will not comment on the violence the man was subjected to on Tuesday.

– The investigation continues at full strength and is of the highest priority for us. We are following various leads, and do not want to say anything about the damage or how it was caused, says Høyland.

On Monday evening, the police had a round of inquiries in the neighbourhood, which the police say they will continue with on Tuesday and question several people who had a relationship with the murdered man.

– One of the worst things I have experienced

NRK has spoken to several neighbors of the murdered man, including Chris André Isager. On Sunday, he heard a noise outside and went outside to investigate.

There he found the man lying on the ground and called the emergency services.

– This is one of the worst things I have experienced. I don’t wish anyone to see what I saw, he told NRK on Monday.

Isager tells NRK that he saw a person fleeing the scene and that he believes this must be the perpetrator.

To NRK, police prosecutor Høyland comments that this is a tip of interest, but repeats that the police are not locking themselves into anything now.

– Many Afghans are afraid

Zakia Mohammadi was a friend of the murdered man.

She describes him as a caring and kind person, who came to Norway in the hope of a better and safer life.

– He told me that he was in the military in Afghanistan and fled to Norway in 2021 when the Taliban took over power, says Mohammadi to NRK and adds:

– But this was not something we talked about often. Many will try to forget what they have experienced in Afghanistan.

In Norway, the man is said to have quickly learned Norwegian and trained as a mechanic. But his background makes many Afghans now anxious.

– We have a thousand thoughts and questions. We have no idea what to believe, but it is clear that this makes many Afghans in Norway afraid, she says.

I think there is no reason to be afraid

Police attorney Høyland tells NRK that she understands that several people in this environment are troubled by the incident, but believes there is no reason to be afraid.

– There are circumstances which indicate that this is aimed at the deceased. I think that implies that other people do not need to be afraid. If this is targeted, then it cannot affect random people, says Høyland.

– But if the murder could be connected to his background from Afghanistan, wouldn’t others with a similar background have reason to be afraid?

– It is one of the things we are investigating, what was the background, Høyland replies and repeats that the police do not believe that there is a danger to other people.