A man armed with a bow and arrow has killed five people and injured two others in the small Norwegian town of Kongsberg, Euronews reports.

Norway's acting Prime Minister Erna Solberg on Wednesday, October 13 described the attack against shoppers in the town, near Oslo, as "gruesome".

"It is a very dramatic situation that hits the community in Kongsberg hard. The events shake us. I understand that many are afraid," she said.

Police official Øyvind Aas told a news conference on Wednesday evening that the attacker had been arrested.

"The man who committed the act has been arrested by the police and, according to our information, there is only one person involved."

Police say the motive for the attack is still being determined.

"We will also have to look at whether this is an act of terror or not. The apprehended person has not been questioned, and it is therefore too early to say anything about this related to motivation," Aas said.

"Based on the information we have now, this is a person who has carried out these actions alone" he added, confirming there was no active search for any more suspects.