Swedish police arrest teenager, three people died in Uppsala shooting

Swedish police arrested a teenager after three shootings in Uppsala City on Tuesday.

The shooter reportedly fled a scooter after an attack at a hair salon in the heart of the city, triggering a chase.

Police confirmed Wednesday that the person arrested for the shooting was under 18 years old.

Swedish police said at a press conference that the three victims were between 15 and 20 years old, although the district police chief Erik Åkerlund said their identity has not been confirmed “100%”.

According to Swedish media reports, police are investigating the possibility of death related to gang crime.

Local media said that one of the people who were reportedly murdered in the hair salon was known to the local media.

The victim reportedly conducted a police investigation for plans to attack relatives of gang leader Ismail Abdo. The person has never been charged.

Abdo is a well-known gang leader, nicknamed “Jordgubben” or “The Strawberry”.

A new chapter of violence in the Swedish gang war begins with Abdo's mother being murdered in 2023 at her home in Uppsala, north of Stockholm.

In recent years, Sweden has seen a wave of teenage gang crimes, with the suspect being charged with a series of crimes ranging from vandalism to murder.

The Swedish government has introduced new legislation that will allow police to eavesdrop on children under the age of 15 to resolve the problem.

Attorney General Gunnar Strömmer suggested in a pre-planned press conference on gang violence on Wednesday that police do not need specific evidence to eavesdrop.

Although he acknowledged the proposals involved serious violations of privacy, Stromer suggested that the measures were necessary to prevent the recruitment of young children, ten and 11-year-old gangs.

The government also said it hopes to tighten the country's gun laws.

The attack took place on the eve of the spring season of Walburgis, when crowds of people were expected to land on the streets of Uppsala, a university town north of Stockholm.

College students in Sweden are known as Valborg, gather in New York City to enjoy champagne breakfast, herring lunch and raft competition on the river.

There is a huge bonfire in the city's outskirts planned on Wednesday night.

Åsa Larsson, local police chief of Uppsala and Knivsta, said the Swedes' plan to visit Uppsala to attend their annual Valberg Spring Festival event should not change their plans.

However, visitors are urged to contact the police if they find anything they care about.

She said that uppsala will be present throughout Uppsala in the coming days, but further violence can be avoided.

Police blocked large areas near the hair salon after the shooting.

One witness told Swedish channel TV4: “It all happened so quickly.

Another man said he cooked at home when he heard “two bangs that sounded a little like fireworks.”

He told Swedish TV that he was “very surprised and scared” and that shortly after, “cops and ambulance groups” began to block the streets and told people to backward.