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Iceland's armed police make first ever fatal shooting Iceland's armed police make first ever fatal shooting
(about 20 hours later)
A man who was firing a shotgun in his home has been killed in Iceland in what is believed to be the first time that a person has been shot dead by armed police in the country's history.A man who was firing a shotgun in his home has been killed in Iceland in what is believed to be the first time that a person has been shot dead by armed police in the country's history.
The 59-year-old was reported to have been shot on Monday after firing on police as they entered the building in the east of the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik.The 59-year-old was reported to have been shot on Monday after firing on police as they entered the building in the east of the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik.
Teargas canisters had initially been fired through the windows after the man continued shooting and two police officers are reported to have been slightly injured after they entered.Teargas canisters had initially been fired through the windows after the man continued shooting and two police officers are reported to have been slightly injured after they entered.
The gunman was brought to hospital but was pronounced dead there at around 10am local time. The case will be investigated by Iceland's state prosecutor.The gunman was brought to hospital but was pronounced dead there at around 10am local time. The case will be investigated by Iceland's state prosecutor.
The country's national police chief, Haraldur Johannessen, told a press conference in Reykjavik that the incident was "without precedent".The country's national police chief, Haraldur Johannessen, told a press conference in Reykjavik that the incident was "without precedent".
"The police regret this incident and wish to extend its condolences to the man's family," he added. "The police are deeply saddened by this tragic event and would like to extend their condolences to the family of the individual in question," he added.
Iceland, a country where gun ownership is widespread, has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the world.Iceland, a country where gun ownership is widespread, has one of the lowest violent crime rates in the world.
The 2011 Global Study on Homicide by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) found that the country's homicide rate never went above 1.8 per 100,000 population on any given year during the period between 1999 and 2009.The 2011 Global Study on Homicide by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) found that the country's homicide rate never went above 1.8 per 100,000 population on any given year during the period between 1999 and 2009.
It is ranked 15th in the world in terms of legal per capita gun ownership while around 90,000 are held among the population of just over 300,000, according to gunpolicy.org, which is hosted by the University of Sydney.It is ranked 15th in the world in terms of legal per capita gun ownership while around 90,000 are held among the population of just over 300,000, according to gunpolicy.org, which is hosted by the University of Sydney.
• This article was amended on 3 December 2013. Iceland police said the original translation of the police chief's statement was inaccurate: "The police did not 'express regret' but rather stated that they are 'deeply saddened by this tragic event'." This has been updated.
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