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14 February 2015 Last updated at 14:15 ET Share this page
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Copenhagen free speech debate shooting: One
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Eyewitness Dennis Myhoff-Brink: "We heard...20 or 30 shots...and a person yelling something in Arabic"
Gunmen have killed one person and injured three police officers at a free speech debate in Copenhagen attended by a controversial Swedish cartoonist, officials say.
The French ambassador was also present at the seminar.
Reports say up to 40 shots were fired and a manhunt has been launched.
Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who has previously faced death threats over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, was unhurt.
Shortly after the shooting, a message appeared on the Twitter feed of French ambassador Francois Zimeray saying he was still alive.
In an audio recording which emerged from the attack, one of the speakers at the debate is suddenly interrupted by a barrage of gunshots.
Eyewitness Niels Ivar Larsen, speaking to the Associated Press news agency, said: "I heard someone firing with an automatic weapon and someone shouting.
"Police returned fire and I hid behind the bar."
Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks has faced death threats for many years
Emergency services gather at the scene following the attack
The area around the venue is under lockdown, reports the BBC's Malcolm Brabant.
Police have erected cordons and are searching a nearby park, he adds.
Officials say they are hunting for two suspected attackers who fled the scene in a car.
Strict security The debate, which took place in a cafe, was described on a personal website of Lars Vilks as a talk on whether any limits should be placed on artistic expression or freedom of speech.
A description of the event asked whether artists could "dare" to be blasphemous in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks by Islamist gunmen in Paris last month.
In an indication of the threat faced by the cartoonist, a note was included on the website saying there was always "strict security" whenever the artist spoke in public.
An organiser of Saturday's event, Helle Merete Brix, told BBC World TV the event was being guarded by armed police and security agents from the Danish intelligence service, as well as Mr Vilks' own bodyguards.
She said she clearly considered the incident an attack on Mr Vilks, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Forensic police officers work at the scene
An armed policeman guards the area near the attack
Lars Vilks stoked controversy in 2007 by drawing pictures of the Prophet Muhammad dressed as a dog.
In 2010 two brothers tried to burn down the cartoonist's house in southern Sweden and were imprisoned for attempted arson.
Lars Vilks: A controversial career June 1946: born in Helsingborg, Sweden
2007: Stoked controversy when he drew a series of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a dog which were published in a number of Swedish papers
Sept 2007: $100,000 bounty placed on his head by then leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq
March 2010: Seven Irish citizens arrested over separate plots to kill Vilks: US woman Colleen LaRose, aka Jihad Jane, also arrested and later jailed for 10 years for conspiracy to commit murder
May 2010: Assaulted by Muslim protesters during a lecture about free speech at Uppsala University, Sweden
Sept 2011: Three men arrested in Gothenburg, Sweden, for plotting to kill Vilks
March 2013: Placed on "most wanted" list By al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
de
Copenhagen free speech debate shooting: One
ad
Jump media player
Media player help
Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
Eyewitness Dennis Myhoff-Brink: "We heard...20 or 30 shots...and a person yelling something in Arabic"
Gunmen have killed one person and injured three police officers at a free speech debate in Copenhagen attended by a controversial Swedish cartoonist, officials say.
The French ambassador was also present at the seminar.
Reports say up to 40 shots were fired and a manhunt has been launched.
Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who has previously faced death threats over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, was unhurt.
Shortly after the shooting, a message appeared on the Twitter feed of French ambassador Francois Zimeray saying he was still alive.
In an audio recording which emerged from the attack, one of the speakers at the debate is suddenly interrupted by a barrage of gunshots.
Eyewitness Niels Ivar Larsen, speaking to the Associated Press news agency, said: "I heard someone firing with an automatic weapon and someone shouting.
"Police returned fire and I hid behind the bar."
Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks has faced death threats for many years Emergency services gather at the scene following the attack The area around the venue is under lockdown, reports the BBC's Malcolm Brabant.
Police have erected cordons and are searching a nearby park, he adds.
Officials say they are hunting for two suspected attackers who fled the scene in a car.
Strict security The debate, which took place in a cafe, was described on a personal website of Lars Vilks as a talk on whether any limits should be placed on artistic expression or freedom of speech.
A description of the event asked whether artists could "dare" to be blasphemous in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo terror attacks by Islamist gunmen in Paris last month.
In an indication of the threat faced by the cartoonist, a note was included on the website saying there was always "strict security" whenever the artist spoke in public.
An organiser of Saturday's event, Helle Merete Brix, told BBC World TV the event was being guarded by armed police and security agents from the Danish intelligence service, as well as Mr Vilks' own bodyguards.
She said she clearly considered the incident an attack on Mr Vilks, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Forensic police officers work at the scene An armed policeman guards the area near the attack Lars Vilks stoked controversy in 2007 by drawing pictures of the Prophet Muhammad dressed as a dog.
In 2010 two brothers tried to burn down the cartoonist's house in southern Sweden and were imprisoned for attempted arson.
Lars Vilks: A controversial career June 1946: born in Helsingborg, Sweden
2007: Stoked controversy when he drew a series of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a dog which were published in a number of Swedish papers
Sept 2007: $100,000 bounty placed on his head by then leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq
March 2010: Seven Irish citizens arrested over separate plots to kill Vilks: US woman Colleen LaRose, aka Jihad Jane, also arrested and later jailed for 10 years for conspiracy to commit murder
May 2010: Assaulted by Muslim protesters during a lecture about free speech at Uppsala University, Sweden
Sept 2011: Three men arrested in Gothenburg, Sweden, for plotting to kill Vilks
March 2013: Placed on "most wanted" list By al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula