Swedish police have apprehended a teenager under 18 following a deadly triple shooting in central Uppsala on Tuesday. The suspect allegedly fled the scene on a scooter after opening fire inside a hair salon, killing three victims aged 15-20.
While police have not fully confirmed the victims’ identities, regional police chief Erik Åkerlund revealed investigators are exploring potential gang crime connections. The attack marks the latest episode in Sweden’s worsening youth gang crisis, occurring just before Uppsala’s annual Valborg spring festival celebrations.
Gang Feud Suspected as Police Reveal Victim’s Criminal Ties
One victim was reportedly known to authorities for involvement in a foiled plot against relatives of notorious gang leader Ismail Abdo, alias “The Strawberry.” Abdo’s mother was murdered in Uppsala in 2023, intensifying gang conflicts across Sweden.
Police have cordoned off the crime scene as witnesses described hearing rapid gunfire—“bang, bang, bang”—before the shooter escaped. The tragedy has reignited debates about Sweden’s gang epidemic, with Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer proposing controversial new measures including wiretapping children as young as 10 without concrete evidence.
As Uppsala prepares for Valborg festivities with heightened police presence, the government announced plans to tighten gun laws and expand surveillance powers.
Minister Strömmer acknowledged privacy concerns but insisted the measures are necessary to combat recruitment of pre-teens by criminal networks. The shooting follows a pattern of escalating youth violence, with Swedish media reporting over 60 gang-related deaths in 2023 alone.
Despite assurances from Uppsala police chief Åsa Larsson about festival security, residents remain shaken after witnessing emergency services swarm the salon’s neighborhood.
Eye Witness Accounts Reveal True Depth of Sweden’s Gang Epidemic
Local residents described scenes of panic, with one witness recalling “swarms of police and ambulances” blocking streets shortly after hearing fireworks-like gunshots.
The attack has cast a shadow over Uppsala’s traditional Valborg celebrations, which typically draw thousands of students for riverside bonfires and champagne breakfasts. With the teenage suspect now in custody, authorities are piecing together motives while confronting Sweden’s deepening crisis of youth gang violence that has seen children increasingly weaponized in criminal feuds.
