Danish police confirm name of Copenhagen shooter

Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, 22, is identified as the attacker

The gunman at the Copenhagen freedom of speech shootings was identified as Omar Abdel Hamid el-Hussein. He killed a film director. (Rex Features)

Danish police have confirmed the identity of the gunman who opened fire at a free-speech seminar and a synagogue in Copenhagen last Saturday.

Police spokesman Joergen Skov has confirmed that 22-year-old Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein killed a Danish filmmaker outside the seminar on Saturday with a single shot from a M95 assault rifle.

He then sprayed the entrance with 27 bullets, wounding three police officers inside.

The 22-year-old later killed a volunteer security guard and wounded a further two police officers outside a bat mitzvah near a synagogue.

El-Hussein had already been named as the key suspect in the case. It later emerged that he had a history of violent crime and had been released from prison only weeks before after serving a two-year sentence for grievous bodily harm.

He was shot dead by a SWAT team early on Sunday morning during a gun battle with police.