Uppsala, Sweden — A 16-year-old has been taken into custody in connection with a shooting that left three individuals dead in Uppsala on Tuesday. The local prosecutor’s office reported that the minor is among several suspects currently being interrogated regarding the incident.
The victims, who were between the ages of 15 and 20, have not yet been officially identified, as police are still working to notify their next of kin. Officers have been conducting extensive door-to-door inquiries in an effort to gather additional information from potential witnesses in the area surrounding Vaksala Square, where the shooting occurred.
Public reports indicated that loud bangs, initially thought to be gunshots, were heard in the vicinity. As emergency services arrived, they found multiple individuals suffering from gunshot wounds. Magnus Klarin, a spokesperson for the Swedish police, acknowledged the reports of gunfire but stated that further details were not available at the moment.
The circumstances leading to the shooting remain unclear, raising questions about the possible motive behind the attack. Earlier this year, the European Parliament acknowledged that Sweden is grappling with a significant surge in gang-related violence. The country has seen a troubling rise in gun violence, with reports indicating that Sweden recorded the highest rate of fatal shootings per capita in the European Union in 2023.
Despite having a relatively high rate of gun ownership compared to other EU countries, Sweden enforces stringent licensing requirements for firearm possession. Recent data showed that at least 40 individuals have been shot dead in the nation this year, a slight decrease from the 63 deaths reported in 2022.
This latest shooting comes on the heels of a tragic incident in February, when a gunman opened fire at an adult education center in Örebro, resulting in ten fatalities and numerous injuries. This earlier event was labeled by Sweden’s prime minister as the most severe mass shooting in the nation’s history, leaving a deep impact on public safety discussions.
As the investigation continues, authorities are focused on piecing together the events that led to the shooting in Uppsala. Community members are left shaken, as law enforcement works to restore a sense of security amidst growing concerns about gun violence in the country.