Three killed, five injured in Denmark attacks (Fifth Lead)

At least three people were killed in separate shooting attacks in Denmark, with Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt terming them as "terrorist strike", the media said Sunday.

A gunman stormed a cafe Saturday evening where French ambassador Francois Zimeray and controversial Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks were present for an event titled "Art, Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression", CNN reported.

The shooter killed a 55-year-old man and left three police officers injured before fleeing, police said.

The second attack occurred early Sunday near Copenhagen's main synagogue, where one person was killed and two policemen were injured.

Police said a man, responsible for both the attacks, was killed in a later shootout Sunday, BBC reported. He died in Norrebro district after he opened fire on police.

According to video surveillance, the same man had carried out both attacks.

After Saturday's attack, the Danish prime minister said it was a terrorist strike and her country would never bow to violence. "We have some difficult days ahead," she added.

The White House denounced the deadly shooting as "deplorable".

"The US condemns the deplorable shooting in Copenhagen," National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said.

Police in Denmark said they do not believe any other person was involved.

Chief Police Inspector Torben Molgaard Jensen said "we assume the culprit shot by police ... is the person behind both these assassinations".

The Copenhagen attacks follow the massacre at the the office of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris when 12 people were killed to avenge its Prophet Muhammad cartoons.