Denmark theaters closed in honor of mall shooting victims

By JAN M. OLSEN
Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s largest cinema chain kept all its movie theaters closed Tuesday because a 17-year-old employee was one of the three people killed in a weekend shooting attack at a shopping mall.

Nordisk Film Biografer, which has 23 theaters nationwide, said on Facebook that the company made the decision out of respect for the victims — the teenage boy it employed, a 17-year-old girl and a 47-year-old Russian man — and “to talk the situation through with our staff.”

One of the chain’s locations is at the Field’s shopping center, located on the outskirts of the Danish capital.

Four other people were hospitalized in critical but stable condition after suffering gunshot wounds in Sunday’s shootings. Authorities have said a 22-year-old Danish man in custody apparently selected people to shoot at random.

In all, around two dozen people were hurt, most in the panicked stampede after gunfire rang out at the mall. Neither the gunman nor the victims can be named under a court order.

“We stand together in this difficult time,” said Crown Prince Frederik who had attended a memorial ceremony for the victims held outside the Field’s shopping center Tuesday evening.

“We are all here tonight to commemorate those killed,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the crowd of several thousand people that also included top officials, firefighters and first responders. A minute of silence was held and many of the thousands had red eyes and were visibly moved. Many hugged each other during the event.

“Tonight we can feel the grief, tonight we can feel the love,” Copenhagen Mayor Sophie H. Andersen said from a stage that had been put up outside the shopping mall. She spoke before a musical interlude by a female choir.

The area was full of flowers, lit candles and handwritten notes.

Authorities have said the suspect acted alone and they have ruled out terrorism as a motive. On Monday, the suspect was ordered held for 24 days in a secure mental health facility on preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder.

Stine Rysgaard, a spokesperson for the shopping mall, said the multi-story mall with more than 130 shops remains closed until at least July 11. all She said the mall had proper security but declined to give details, citing the ongoing investigation.

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