The radicalization of white supremacists almost led to another shooting. As reported by Reuters, a brave man wrestled a potential shooter to the ground at al-Noor Islamic Centre near the Norwegian capital. The armed assailant was a young, white male carrying several guns, and he had expressed far-right, anti-immigrant views online, assistant chief of police Rune Skjold told a news conference. “We’re investigating this as an attempt at carrying out an act of terrorism,” he stated.
Only three people were present in the mosque at the time of the attack. Shots were fired but no one was hit. Mohammad Rafiq, a 65-year-old retired Pakistani Air Force officer, was the first of the three to approach the attacker. “I suddenly heard shooting from outside,” Rafiq told Reuters via an interpreter, also stating that a man then entered the building with guns and pistols.“He started to fire towards the two other men." He then grabbed the attacker, held him down and wrestled the weapons from him. “He put his finger inside my eye, up to here; full finger inside my eye,” Rafiq continued.The attacker, who has not been named, was also suspected of killing one of his own family members, a young woman who was found dead at his home.