Six individuals have been arrested by Swedish police in relation to a suspected triple murder at a hairdresser’s shop in the city of Uppsala. The arrests come after a fatal shooting that stunned the country and revived fears of escalating gang violence in Sweden.
Suspects Vary in Age; One Suspected Shooter in Sweden
They are between 18 years and under 45, the state prosecutor’s office said. One of them, authorities said, is the suspected shooter who carried out the killings on Tuesday night. A 16-year-old suspect arrested hours after the attack was released on Friday, although police have not made further comments about their involvement or why they were let go.
Victims Were Teenagers; Attack on Eve of Spring Festival
The three victims who were gunned down in the salon ranged in age from 15 to 20, highlighting the growing role of young people in crime. The attack occurred on the eve of the Walpurgis spring festival, which is a big event in Sweden where big crowds traditionally congregate, especially in university towns such as Uppsala. The timing of the shooting added to the shock and chaos, as many people were already in the streets for the festivities.
Gang Links Under Investigation in Sweden
Police are in the process of actively investigating whether the shooting is gang-related. One of the victims is said to be known to the police, as reported by local media outlets. The man had already been investigated earlier for a plotted attack on a relative of notorious gang leader Ismail Abdo. Though charges were not laid in that incident, the connection has led police to suspect that the murder was part of a raging turf war between gangs.
Uppsala: Battle Ground of Competing Gang Leaders
Uppsala, north of Stockholm, has long been a battleground between competing gang leaders Abdo and Rawa Majid. Their battle escalated in dramatic fashion in 2023 following the killing of Abdo’s mother at her home, an act that was a turning point for Sweden’s gang violence scene.
Sweden has seen an explosion of youth-related gang activity, from vandalism to gruesome murders. To counter this, the government has introduced contentious new legislation that would allow police to wiretap suspects under the age of 15 in an effort to stem the tide of child gang violence.
