A member of the Jewish community was killed and two policemen were wounded early Sunday morning in a shooting attack outside the Great Synagogue of Copenhagen.
Dan Uzan, 38, was shot in the head while guarding the synagogue during a bat-mitzvah celebration. The two policemen were shot in the arm and leg in the attack, according to press reports.
The gunman fled the scene on foot, and a manhunt was underway.
It was reported that 80 people were attending the bat-mitzvah celebration at the time.
The synagogue shooting took place shortly after an earlier attack at a Copenhagen café where a Swedish artist who had produce caricatures of the prophet Mohammed was speaking at an event on freedom of speech. One person was killed and three police officers were injured in that attack.
Danish police said later that a man they shot and killed Sunday morning at a train station in Copenhagen was likely behind the two attacks.
Dan Rosenberg Asmussen, leader of the Jewish community of Copenhagen, said that following the earlier attack, he had requested police presence at the synagogue.
“We had contacted the police after the shooting at Café Krudttønden to have them present at the bat-mitzva, but unfortunately this happened anyway," Asmussen told Denmark's TV 2 News.“I dare not think about what would have happened if (the killer) had access to the congregation."
"It's a copy of what happened in Paris," Michael Gelvan, chairman of the Nordic Jewish Security Council said, referring to the deadly attacks at satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in January.
In a statement released Sunday morning, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt declared: ''It is an infinitely sad morning, in which everyone is thinking about the victims and their next of kin. Two innocent people have lost their lives as a result of a cold-blooded act of terror against Denmark.
Yesterday and through the night, police acted quickly and with determination to secure our citizens. I am happy and relieved that the police have neutralized the alleged perpetrator behind the two shootings. I encourage everyone to follow police instructions and be vigilant.
I would like to express my deepest respect for the efforts of the police and other authorities. This applies especially to those wonder officers and their colleagues who selflessly put themselves in direct danger to protect us.
The government is closely monitoring the developments. No one should get away with attacking the open, free and democratic Danish society.”
The attacks in the Danish capital came two days after EU leaders decided to step up their cooperation in combating terrorism on the continent in the wake of the January Paris attacks.
World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald Lauder urged the Danish government to find those responsible while stepping up efforts to protect the local Jewish community against rising anti-Semitic violence.
“We are confident the Danish government will take all necessary measures to bring those responsible for these attacks to justice, and we urge them to help secure the local Jewish community against anti-Semitic violence,” Lauder said.
“These attacks in Copenhagen follow the similar, brutal targeting of Jews and others in Paris and across Europe,” Lauder added. “European governments should recognize that we are facing a vicious new wave of anti-Semitism and violence. It is crucial that Europe contends with this growing threat.”
Around 6,000 Jews live in Denmark.