A 26-year-old man who’s charged with attempted murder after stabbing a welfare worker in her office on Monday was ordered held in custody, but will be transferred to a psychiatric institution for evaluation. His defense attorney claims his client “is sick and needs treatment.”
“It’s correct of the court to transfer him over to a treatment facility,” defense attorney Ola Lunde told news bureau NTB. The 26-year-old, who police have said has a criminal record of prior offenses, will be evaluated by two court-appointed psychiatrists.
He was ordered held in custody for at least four weeks after he stabbed his case worker at a local NAV welfare office at Ammerud in Oslo. His victim, a woman in her 30s, underwent surgery at Ullevål University Hospital where she remains in critical condition.
He fled the scene but was quickly tracked down by police who also found the knife used in the stabbing in his possession. The man has denied the charges of attempted murder against him and it’s unclear whether he’ll be deemed competent to stand trial.
newsinenglish.no staff
