Copenhagen shootings
Police in Denmark arrested two men suspected of helping a gunman who killed two people in Copenhagen. Reuters/Martin Sylvest/Scanpix Denmark

Police in Denmark have arrested two men suspected of helping the gunman who carried out deadly attacks on a cultural centre hosting a freedom of speech event and a synagogue in Copenhagen, on 14 February, 2015. The pair is to face a custody hearing on 16 February.

Authorities had initially said they believed the suspect shooter, 22-year-old Omar El-Hussein, acted alone.

He was killed by security forces outside his home in the capital's suburb of Norrebro, after opening fire on a unit that had been patrolling the premises following the double shooting that left two people dead and five policemen wounded.

El-Hussein, who was born and raised in Denmark and had a criminal record which included convictions for violence and weapons offences, allegedly killed 55-year-old director Finn Norgaard at a free-speech meeting attended by the French ambassador and the Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks on 14 February.

He then attacked a synagogue in the early hours of Sunday morning, shooting a 37-year-old Jewish security guard Dan Uzan dead.

On 15 February, four men were held at an internet café near el-Hussein's home, but police would not immediately confirm if the arrests were related to the attacks.