A teenager has been detained by Swedish authorities following a deadly triple shooting in Uppsala on Tuesday.
According to reports, the suspect escaped the scene on a scooter after opening fire in a central city hair salon, prompting an intensive manhunt.
Police confirmed Wednesday that the individual in custody is under 18 years of age.
Officials stated that all three victims were between 15 and 20 years old, although regional police chief Erik Åkerlund noted their identities have not been “100%” confirmed.
Authorities are exploring links between the fatalities and gang-related crime, according to Swedish media outlets.
Local reports have indicated that one victim had prior contact with law enforcement.
It is reported that this individual was part of an investigation into an alleged planned attack on a relative of gang leader Ismail Abdo, though no charges were ever filed.
Abdo, also known as ‘jordgubben’ or ‘the strawberry’, is widely recognized as a prominent figure in Sweden’s criminal underworld.
Sweden’s ongoing gang conflict escalated further following the 2023 murder of Abdo’s mother at her Uppsala home north of Stockholm.
The nation has experienced a marked increase in youth involvement in organized crime, with allegations ranging from vandalism to homicide.
In response, the Swedish government has unveiled plans to permit wiretapping of minors under 15 as part of broader efforts to curb gang recruitment.
During a scheduled briefing on gang crime Wednesday, Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer suggested that police may be authorized to conduct surveillance without concrete evidence in some cases.
Strömmer acknowledged the significant privacy concerns raised by the proposals but argued that the measures are essential to prevent gangs from increasingly recruiting children as young as ten, as reported by Swedish media.
The government also intends to implement stricter firearms legislation.
This latest shooting occurred just before the annual Walpurgis spring festival, which draws large crowds to Uppsala, an academic city north of the capital.
Known locally as Valborg, the festival features student gatherings, celebratory breakfasts and lunches, and the traditional river raft race.
A sizeable bonfire event is also scheduled for Wednesday evening.
Åsa Larsson, police chief in Uppsala and Knivsta, has advised residents and visitors that planned Valborg events should proceed as intended, despite recent violence.
Nevertheless, attendees have been encouraged to promptly alert authorities to any suspicious activity.
She added that law enforcement visibility will be heightened in the coming days, but cautioned that absolute security cannot be assured.
Following the incident, police cordoned off a significant area around the salon.
“Everything happened very quickly. There were three rapid shots,” a witness recounted to TV4.
Another local resident described hearing “two bangs that sounded like fireworks” while cooking in his home.
He told Swedish television he “felt shocked and frightened” as police and ambulances quickly arrived, blocking the area and instructing people to clear the scene.
Reports indicate the attack occurred at an Uppsala hair salon.
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