Two Dead, Two Injured in Bar Shooting near Stockholm
Tragedy struck as two lives were lost and two others were wounded in a shooting incident at a bar situated northwest of Stockholm, as reported by the police on Friday. This incident marks another unfortunate episode of lethal violence in Sweden.
In an official statement, law enforcement disclosed that the shooting occurred late Thursday at a pub in Sandviken, approximately 100 miles northwest of the capital. Tragically, a man in his 20s and another in his 70s succumbed to their injuries and passed away on Friday.
Authorities suspect that one individual was the intended target of the attack, while the remaining three were present at the scene for unrelated reasons and had no involvement in the incident. It is worth noting that the suspected target was among the two individuals who lost their lives. At this time, no arrests have been made, and it remains unclear whether the others present were patrons or employees of the pub.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his distress, stating, “It’s bad enough that the gangs shoot each other to death, but when completely innocent people end up in the line of fire, it’s absolutely horrific.”
The pub, in response to the incident, announced on its Facebook page that it would remain closed for the entire weekend.
Sweden has been grappling with escalating issues related to feuding criminal gangs, manifesting in an alarming rise in drive-by shootings, bombings, and grenade attacks. In 2023 alone, there have been 261 recorded shootings, resulting in 36 fatalities and 73 injuries.
Earlier this month, a 13-year-old boy was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head in a wooded area near his home near Stockholm. Prosecutor Lisa dos Santos described his death as a grim illustration of “gross and completely reckless gang violence.”
The surge in violence is reportedly fueled by an ongoing feud over drugs and weapons between two rival gangs, one led by a dual Turkish-Swedish individual residing in Turkey and the other by his former lieutenant.
To combat gang-related crime, Sweden’s center-right government has been implementing stricter laws, while the head of Sweden’s police recently stated that warring gangs have unleashed an “unprecedented” wave of violence in the Scandinavian nation.