Norwegian police lower death toll in massacre
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Norwegian police have revised their estimate of total deaths in Friday's attacks on Oslo and Utøya, now reporting that an estimated total of 76 people were killed, rather than the 93 previously reported. Of these, 68 were in Utøya and eight were from the bombing in Oslo. The police have not yet been willing to give a final figure for the death toll.
"This figure could still go up," said National Police Commissioner Oeystein Maeland. "The search [for bodies] is ongoing."
Previously significantly higher death tolls had been reported from the shootings on the island of Utøya, but were revised downwards. Maeland explained that the situation on Friday was "chaotic" and that some bodies may have been counted twice as police focused on helping the injured.
Meanwhile the toll from the bombing in the centre of Oslo that took place hours earlier was revised upwards from seven to eight.
Related news
- "Norway gunman defends actions as 'gruesome but necessary'" — Wikinews, July 24, 2011
- "At least 85 dead in shooting at Norwegian youth camp" — Wikinews, July 23, 2011
Sources
- Agence France Presse. "Norway police drop attacks death toll to 76" — news24, July 25, 2011
- Bjoern Amland and Sarah DiLorenzo, Associated Press. "Suspect in Oslo killings isolated; Norway mourns the 76 who died" — Mercury News, July 25, 2011
- "Norway killings: police revise Norway death toll to 76" — The Telegraph, July 25, 2011