U.S. condemns shooting in Copenhagen

The White House on Saturday denounced as "deplorable" the deadly shooting in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, pledging help needed for the investigation.

"The United States condemns today's deplorable shooting in Copenhagen," National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement, offering condolences over the death of a Danish man.

"We have been in close contact with our Danish counterparts and stand ready to lend any assistance necessary to the investigation," she added.

Three police officers were also injured in the shooting that took place Saturday afternoon at a cultural center, where French Ambassador to Denmark Francois Zimeray and Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks were participating in a meeting under the name of "Art, Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression."

The police suspected that the gunman was targeting Vilks, who had sparked anger in religious circles by drawing Prophet Mohammed as a dog. Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has described shooting as "an act of terrorism."

In another shooting reported hours later near Copenhagen's main synagogue, one person was shot dead in the head and two policemen were shot in the arm and leg.

Local police did not say on its official Twitter account when the accident occurred, only saying that "It is still too early to say whether the shooting is related to yesterday's shootings." Endi