It was a nice Friday night where a small group of three sat and chatted around one of Per’s tables on the corner. Close to Petter sits a friend he has known for over ten years. – We sat and talked like friends do. About family and everyday things, says the 50-year-old. It is a little over one o’clock when Petter sees a man walking on his right side. The man pulls out a gun and shoots at the nightclub, “Per on the corner”. – It was a very dark and low sound, so I did not understand anything until he had fired two, three shots, Petter says. “Per på Hjørnet” and “Herr Nilsen” are next door. Just down the street is the bar “London”, which is the home of many queers in Oslo. Photo: Olav Rønneberg He then draws a two-handed automatic weapon and fires a series of shots at Petter and his friends. Petter’s close friend sits between him and the perpetrator, Petter explains. – He was hit instead of me. Creeps in cover Several shots come whizzing by and one of them flies past Petter’s head. He throws himself on the ground at the same time as his friend falls down. Petter crawls into the bar room. Petter says that he contacted several media the next day and asked many questions. It made him think more about what he had experienced. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news Another person was shot from the side, in the leg and is lying on the floor by the toilets. He is helped by volunteers who worked at the pub, says Petter. He stays in the bar for a few minutes before venturing out again. It is only when he sees that his friend has been shot and that he is still lying on the ground where they sat before. Petter says that saw others who tried to give cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but to no avail. – Unfortunately he died there. Shortly afterwards, the police arrived. Petter was taken to the hotel across the street, along with other witnesses to the incident. It was not until he got there that the fear took hold. – Things went so fast and there was so much adrenaline in my body that I really thought nothing, says Petter. – Life is fragile There was so much chaos that Petter does not remember everything he saw that night. Two days later, he has talked to friends and close ones. His body has had time to calm down a bit, but he is still shaking. It is now the thought that things might have gone differently come, says Petter. – If my friend had not sat as he did, I would not have been here today, he says. – It’s a little strange to think about, but life is fragile. Is not that what they say? Many laid flowers at Herr Nilsen, Per på Hjørnet and London Pub also on Sunday. Mr. Nilsen, who was not directly affected by the shooting, opened the doors again for guests at 1 pm. Photo: Snorre Tønset / news At the memorial service held on “Per på hjørnet” at 2 pm, Petter wanted to seize the opportunity to talk to others and remember his friend. – He was a man that everyone liked, says Petter.
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Petter (50) was sitting next to his friend when he was shot in Oslo on Friday – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
