"We are working on the hypothesis that there is a relationship either to the hunting party or to people in the hunting party, and it is based on information that the police have received and that we are now trying to confirm," prosecutor Anders Svarholt told TT earlier on Sunday.
Later on Sunday afternoon, police confirmed that there is a connection between the man and the hunting party. Police suspect that a conflict is behind the shooting.
The man previously belonged to the hunting party, according to information provided to Norwegian media.
Has admitted
The man used a hunting weapon and has a licence for two of them, according to the prosecutor. He lives in Halden and is not previously known to the police.
"He doesn't want to explain himself to the police, so we don't get any help there to shed light on the motive. We have to shed light on that in another way, and that takes a little longer," says Anders Svarholt.
The man is suspected of two counts of murder and attempted murder against at least one person.
He admits to the crime and agrees to be detained, his defence attorney Ole Richard Holm-Olsen told NRK .
The man underwent a medical examination during the day. It has also been decided that he will undergo a preliminary forensic psychiatric examination, according to the police.
The victims are father and son, police operations leader Wilhelm Bjølseth told NTB.
The father is said to have been in his 70s and the son in his 40s. The seriously injured man is also in his 40s. He was taken to hospital by ambulance helicopter and according to the prosecutor, his condition is now stable.
Put down the rifle
The hunting party of about ten people was shot at as the hunters were distributing the day's hunting passes. Wilhelm Bjølseth said during a press conference on Sunday morning that the suspected perpetrator was detained by witnesses at the scene and handed over to the police.
According to the information I have received, it went smoothly, prosecutor Anders Svarholt tells TT.
The man put down the rifle after he fired the shots, according to police.
Detention hearings are scheduled for Monday.
Police received the first reports of gunshots and people being shot at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. At 8 a.m., police announced that one person had been arrested.
The incident occurred in the municipality of Halden, in southern Norway on the border with Sweden. The municipality has activated a crisis team.
