ANDALSNES, Norway, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Budget cuts in Andalsnes, Norway, resulted in five stabbing victims at a nightclub having to wait a half hour for police to respond.
Aftenposten reported Monday a man allegedly attacked the five people, but the only police officer was 42 miles away and emergency personnel are instructed to delay treatment until the offender is under police control.
"This is intolerable," said Jon Sverre Aursand, a physician who treated people at the scene. He said he tried to keep one of the stabbing victims conscious despite heavy blood loss, while a group of nightclub patrons attempted to restrain the 21-year-old man who started his rampage by stabbing the club's doorman.
Police, who asked a court Monday to keep the alleged attacker in custody, said there was no clear motive for the stabbing.
Ultimately all the stabbing victims were flown to hospitals in Trondheim, Molde and Alesund - and all survived.
