Sweden: three dead in 12 hours in gang war

Three people died in shootings and explosions in less than 24 hours in Sweden, in the grip of a wave of violence linked to gang warfare which now claims victims almost daily.

According to police, the first shooting took place in a wealthy suburb south of Stockholm shortly before 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening: a young man was shot dead near a sports field where training with children was taking place.

A homicide investigation has been opened.

“Innocent people with no connection to organized crime, including several children who came to their training, were forced to witness once again a merciless shooting during which a man was shot dead,” reacted Prime Minister Ulf. Kristersson with the TV4 channel.

“Crying children in football uniforms and very worried parents. My thoughts are with all these children, their mothers and their fathers. These reckless killers will not stop shooting themselves and others until we stop them,” he added.

Another shooting took place a few hours later in another suburb of Stockholm, injuring two people, one of whom died from his injuries, according to police. Three men were arrested.

And during the night from Wednesday to Thursday, an explosion took place in the suburbs of the university town of Uppsala, causing the death of a 25-year-old young woman. Five houses were damaged, the police added on their website.

An unprecedented wave of violence, linked to a fight between two criminal gangs for control of drug trafficking, is shaking the country, which is struggling to stem these almost daily explosions and shootings.

According to figures from public television channel SVT, 11 deaths were recorded in shootings and explosions in September, the deadliest month in four years.

The perpetrators of these deadly explosions and shootings are increasingly younger and these attacks have caused several collateral victims in recent weeks.

In 2022, Sweden experienced 391 shootings in 2022, 62 of which were fatal.

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