– When I close my eyes in the evening, I am outside a London pub again, the man tells news. He was one of those who stopped the double murderer Zaniar Matapour. Armed with a submachine gun and pistol, the 43-year-old shot at guests at two nightclubs in the center of Oslo on 25 June. Matapour managed to kill two people before he was stopped by civilians. First he was tackled so that he lost the machine gun. Matapour then ran off with a gun. He chased civilians down the street and laid him on the ground. They lay there for 4 minutes and 31 seconds before the police arrested the murderer. news has spoken to two of the 12 people who overpowered the perpetrator. At the risk of their own lives, they did everything to prevent Matapour from shooting more. The two have the status of offended parties in the criminal case. – There was a thought that this is something that cannot be accepted. It was simply a spontaneous reaction, says the man about his own efforts on the night of the murder. The police have asked them not to reveal their names. The reason should be that someone may want to take revenge because they stopped the perpetrator. – Even if everyday life goes on for others, we are still in the middle of it, the victims say about the night of the murder. Photo: Truls Antonsen / news Had the gun against his stomach The other victim was in close contact with the killer for several minutes before the police arrived. She wrestled with Matapour over the gun, which he doubted. She doesn’t know how long the gunfight lasted, but says it felt like several minutes. Civilians overpowered Matapour. They got him to the ground and removed the weapon from his hand. Then the police came. – At one point I sat with his gun against his stomach. I realized that it was not a good idea and had to move. Then several of us put his arm on the ground. I broke his thumb backwards. Then his hand reacted so that the grip loosened a little. I pushed the gun out into the street. – The bracelet won’t come off, she says of the rainbow-coloured piece of cloth. Photo: Truls Antonsen / news Several people were lying over the perpetrator at this time. Matapour allegedly had an elbow to the throat. The woman became concerned that the perpetrator would suffocate. – I thought we couldn’t let him die here and now. I got the others to let up. Then I ensured that he had a clear airway. I made eye contact with him until the police arrived. – He didn’t let go of my gaze. Now the eyes haunt me. They don’t let go, she says. – Felt like a nuisance Now both are critical of the health care they have been offered after the mass shooting. One victim contacted the crisis team in Oslo. As the man lives in another municipality, he was asked to contact the emergency room there. The emergency room referred on to the GP. The GP referred him on to an offer called rapid mental health care. – I had a 15-minute phone call there, says the man. The conversation was on the Tuesday after the mass shooting. During the conversation, the psychologist is said to have said that “they should look into it”. He has not heard anything from the municipality since. – I have felt that I am a bit of a nuisance, he says. According to the Health and Care Services Act, the municipality is responsible for offering help in emergency situations. The municipality must actively address those affected. They must also make contact again if the affected person does not do so themselves. But more than five weeks after the man called the municipality, no one has contacted him again. The man says that he struggles to sleep, that he has flashbacks from the night, and that he “falls in and out”. He flinches at loud noises. Everyday life is no longer normal. – It is difficult to say what I need. The most important thing for me would have been to have a person with whom I could discuss the incident. I have not received any form of such support. – Why haven’t you gotten in touch again? – I have been afraid of being rejected. I would have appreciated talking face to face with a person, instead of talking over the phone, he says. news has been in contact with the municipal manager in the relevant municipality. She says it is “terrible” that some feel they have not received the help they want from the municipality. She encourages the man to make contact again, at any time, and says that no one should sit alone with what is experienced as tough. The municipality will also conduct an internal review of how the follow-up has been. – We as a group have tried to help each other to be able to share the thoughts and feelings we have. At the same time, it would have been a great help if there was a professional actor we could talk to, says the man who helped stop Matapour. Photo: Truls Antonsen / news – Is like I’m going to war The woman lives in Oslo municipality. She has had three conversations with a psychologist in the district she lives in. She has now had an appointment with the specialist health service in September. – September is a long time for me to wait. I really think we should have class during the day, she says. She has paid out of her own pocket for physiotherapy. The body is still intact after the mass shooting. – I barely slept. When I wake up after a short time, my body is on full alert. It’s like I’m going to war. I have also been afraid of losing control over my head. So far, I have been helped by medication to sleep, but it is not a long-term solution, she says. – It shouldn’t be the case that people have to call five phones to get help. The municipalities should be more involved, says the woman to news. Photo: Truls Antonsen / news The woman says that she does not have the money to pay for such treatment over time. Legal aid: – Total failure Lawyer Christian Lundin is legal aid for several of the victims after the mass shooting. Lawyer Christian Lundin believes it is too random what help the victims get. – These are people who are afraid, they sleep badly, they have nightmares, they are insecure, they have restlessness in their bodies and they need help to get through this, says Lundin to news. Over 70 people have asked him to be their legal counsel. Many say they either do not receive follow-up, or that the follow-up is not good enough. – I talk to desperate people who don’t even dare to live at their registered address. They have major problems in everyday life, struggle with sleeping at night, anxiety and restlessness. That someone does not get the help they need is beyond all criticism, says Lundin to news. He says that several people have paid out of their own pockets for psychologists, physiotherapists or chiropractors. Now he is calling for a “proper system” to follow up on the victims. – In my mind, it is far too simple to say that this is the responsibility of each individual municipality, says Lundin. – This is a total failure. You have to live up to the word “proactivity” that you market in the public space, says Lundin and points to the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health: – No one is to be bothered In the days after the mass shooting, State Secretary Ole Henrik Krat Bjørkholt (Ap) said in Dagsnytt 18 that he took it as “a matter of course that everyone who needs help gets help” in connection with the attack. Bjørkholt said he had asked the municipalities to be proactive. Now the ministry says that they are taking the information from Lundin and the survivors very seriously. – We see it as necessary to remind the municipalities of the responsibility they have to follow up, says State Secretary Ellen Rønning-Arnesen (Ap) to news. State Secretary Ellen Rønning-Arnesen (Ap) in the Ministry of Health. Photo: Olav Døvik / news This week the Norwegian Directorate of Health sent a letter to the state administrators in which the message is that the municipalities must provide health care for those affected after the mass shooting. The letter states that the municipality must actively address those affected directly. – No one is a nuisance to the Norwegian health service. The municipalities must be equipped to provide the help they need, says the state secretary. Hi! Do you have any input for us? Do you know anything more about this case? We are working with the mass shooting in Oslo, and are always interested in new information about the case. Feel free to contact us by e-mail if you know anything or have input.
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– Total failure in healthcare – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
