The police received a report on Saturday night about a possible threatening situation in Jæren, and several patrols were sent there. In the search for a suspected perpetrator, the police stopped a car shortly after half past one.
Shots were fired from the car, where the suspected man, who was in his 40s, and another person were located.
A shootout ensued between the suspect and the police. The perpetrator and two police officers were hit in the shooting, says operative chief Victor Fenne-Jensen to VG.
Threatening situation
The suspect and one of the police officers were taken to hospital in Stavanger with life-threatening injuries. In the morning, the police confirmed that one police officer and the suspect had died of their injuries.
It was a threatening situation, and that's why the police were so close and armed, says police chief Hans Vik at a press conference on Saturday.
The other police officer was injured in the leg and is not in a life-threatening condition.
At 11 am, the police carried out a large operation in Klepp, not far from the site of the shooting. The police's bomb experts, ambulance, and rescue services were on site, according to Dagbladet.
The bomb experts searched the suspect's residence to ensure that there were no explosive materials. At 14.19, the police wrote that the bomb group had completed its work, and the apartment was clear for forensic investigation.
The police are armed
The last time a police officer was killed in service in Norway was in 2010 and previously in 2004.
We received the news with sorrow about what happened last night, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to VG.
The incident will be investigated by Kripos, Norway's national unit for combating organized and serious crime.
Klepp municipality in southwestern Norway has set up a crisis team.
The police in Norway are currently armed, which they normally are not. The national arming was introduced on December 20 in connection with the Christmas holiday and will continue until January 2.
