Authorities have confirmed that three individuals lost their lives following a shooting in the Swedish city of Uppsala.
According to local media, the incident occurred inside a hair salon near Vaksala Square in the city centre. Reports indicate the suspected gunman fled the scene on a scooter and remains at large.
Police have established a large perimeter and initiated a homicide investigation.
The shooting took place just before the annual Walpurgis festival, which traditionally draws sizable crowds to Uppsala, a city north of Stockholm renowned for its university.
“Everything happened very quickly, it was just bang, bang, bang,” a witness recounted to Swedish broadcaster TV4.
Another resident explained he was preparing food at home when he heard “two bangs, almost like fireworks,” coming from the nearby street.
He described to Swedish TV that he felt “shocked and frightened,” saying that shortly afterwards “large numbers of police and ambulances” arrived, cordoning off the area and instructing people to keep clear.
A significant police operation is currently underway, including the deployment of a helicopter, police spokesperson Magnus Jansson Klarin told TV4.
Train services in the immediate vicinity were temporarily suspended as a precaution to prevent the suspect’s escape, Mr Klarin said. Normal service has since resumed.
Police have also been canvassing homes in the neighbourhood to speak with potential witnesses.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer described the shooting to TV4 as a “brutal act of violence.”
In a statement on their website, Swedish police acknowledged “ongoing public concern” ahead of Walpurgis celebrations, but said early indications suggest the attack was “isolated” and concluded there is “no threat to the general public.”
The identities of the victims and suspect have not yet been disclosed. Growing anxiety over recent gun violence and gang-related incidents has led the government to pledge tighter firearms regulation in Sweden.
In February, ten people were killed in a shooting at an adult education centre in the city of Orebro.