Malmö shooting: Here's what we know so far
Police in Sweden's third largest city outlined the ongoing work at a national and regional level following a shooting on Saturday in which one teenager died and another was seriously injured. But the regional police chief warned there were "no quick solutions".
At a press conference on Monday morning, Malmö police chief Stefan Sintéus said the incident was "a dark weekend for Malmö".
Skåne’s regional police chief Carina Persson said her thoughts were with the victims' families after the shooting, which took place outside a pizzeria. She added: "We understand the worry and feeling of insecurity this type of incident creates for those who live in Malmö," and said that the region was working long-term to prevent and combat gang violence
"We believe in our long-term work, but there are no short-term solutions to long-term problems," said Persson.
Who were the victims?
Both the victims were boys aged just 15. Malmö police chief Stefan Sintéus said that both teenagers who were shot "were known to police, despite their young age".
One of the boys died during the night after being rushed to hospital, and Sintéus said the other victim had received life-threatening injuries and was currently in hospital under anaesthetic. The police chief described the second boy’s condition as "serious but stable".
Malmö residents have begun leaving flowers and candles at the scene of the shooting. Photo: Johan Nilsson / TT
Explosion used to ‘distract’ police
Shortly before the shooting, a bomb exploded under a car near the Kronprinsen (Crown Prince) tower block near the city centre.
No injuries were caused, but the blast was powerful enough to move the car several metres and also damaged a second vehicle.
On Monday morning, Sintéus said police are working from the hypothesis that this was a "diversion", intended to lead police away from the shooting.
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Crime gangs in Sweden: What's behind the rise in the use of explosives?
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This interactive map shows the explosions in Malmö in 2019
Measures in Malmö
Police had previously announced that more officers would be working on the city's streets following the incident, and that they would receive reinforcements from both the regional and national level.
Sintéus added that police were working to review surveillance camera footage from the area and speak to witnesses about the shooting, which took place in one of Malmö's busiest areas, the Möllevångtorget square.
"We are working with measures to create security at the scene, and a number of other operations which I don’t want to give more detail on right now," said Sintéus.
He also said that police measures would target "among other things, the local drug trade, which is behind much of the violence we see". In particular, this related to dealing of cannabis, which is the main drug on Malmö's streets.
Special national incident
At a national level, a so-called "special national incident" was announced on Sunday to deal with a wave of violent crime including Sunday's shooting. This means creating a temporary task force that is given increased powers, access to resources and focuses only on the incident.
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At a press conference on Monday morning, Malmö police chief Stefan Sintéus said the incident was "a dark weekend for Malmö".
Skåne’s regional police chief Carina Persson said her thoughts were with the victims' families after the shooting, which took place outside a pizzeria. She added: "We understand the worry and feeling of insecurity this type of incident creates for those who live in Malmö," and said that the region was working long-term to prevent and combat gang violence
"We believe in our long-term work, but there are no short-term solutions to long-term problems," said Persson.
Who were the victims?
Both the victims were boys aged just 15. Malmö police chief Stefan Sintéus said that both teenagers who were shot "were known to police, despite their young age".
One of the boys died during the night after being rushed to hospital, and Sintéus said the other victim had received life-threatening injuries and was currently in hospital under anaesthetic. The police chief described the second boy’s condition as "serious but stable".
Malmö residents have begun leaving flowers and candles at the scene of the shooting. Photo: Johan Nilsson / TT
Explosion used to ‘distract’ police
Shortly before the shooting, a bomb exploded under a car near the Kronprinsen (Crown Prince) tower block near the city centre.
No injuries were caused, but the blast was powerful enough to move the car several metres and also damaged a second vehicle.
On Monday morning, Sintéus said police are working from the hypothesis that this was a "diversion", intended to lead police away from the shooting.
-
Crime gangs in Sweden: What's behind the rise in the use of explosives?
- This interactive map shows the explosions in Malmö in 2019
Measures in Malmö
Police had previously announced that more officers would be working on the city's streets following the incident, and that they would receive reinforcements from both the regional and national level.
Sintéus added that police were working to review surveillance camera footage from the area and speak to witnesses about the shooting, which took place in one of Malmö's busiest areas, the Möllevångtorget square.
"We are working with measures to create security at the scene, and a number of other operations which I don’t want to give more detail on right now," said Sintéus.
He also said that police measures would target "among other things, the local drug trade, which is behind much of the violence we see". In particular, this related to dealing of cannabis, which is the main drug on Malmö's streets.
Special national incident
At a national level, a so-called "special national incident" was announced on Sunday to deal with a wave of violent crime including Sunday's shooting. This means creating a temporary task force that is given increased powers, access to resources and focuses only on the incident.
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