A gunman opened fire in a crowded pub in Sweden, killing 2 men and wounding 2 people, police say

Police stand exterior a pub the place two folks have been killed and two wounded following a capturing, in Sandviken, some 162 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Stockholm, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In a press release, police stated {that a} man in his 20s and one other in his 70s died Friday of accidents sustained within the capturing late Thursday on the pub in Sandviken. Credit score: AP/Henrik Hansson

Police stand exterior a pub the place two folks have been killed and two wounded following a capturing, in Sandviken, some 162 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Stockholm, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In a press release, police stated {that a} man in his 20s and one other in his 70s died Friday of accidents sustained within the capturing late Thursday on the pub in Sandviken. Credit score: AP/Henrik Hansson

STOCKHOLM — Two folks have been killed and two wounded when a gunman opened fireplace in a crowded bar northwest of Stockholm, police stated Friday, within the newest outburst of lethal violence in Sweden.

Police stated {that a} 20-year-old man and one other in his 70s died Friday of accidents sustained within the capturing late Thursday at a pub in Sandviken some 162 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Stockholm.

Two folks have been injured — a lady in her 20s and a person in his 50s.

Senior investigator Karin Wessén stated that the deceased 20-year-old was possible the shooter’s goal whereas the opposite three are believed to be bystanders. The Expressen day by day reported that the aged sufferer was blind.

She stated a number of pictures have been fired within the pub, which was packed on the time, earlier than the gunman walked away. Police investigating the capturing appealed for witnesses.

The motive remained unclear. Wessén advised a press convention that the capturing may “probably be a part of a neighborhood private battle” and that it was “unsure whether or not it was related to any of the nationwide conflicts.”

Feuding legal gangs have turn into a rising drawback in Sweden, with an rising variety of drive-by shootings, bombings and grenade assaults. To date this 12 months, there have been 261 shootings, 36 folks have died and 73 have been wounded.

Police stand exterior a pub the place two folks have been killed and two wounded following a capturing, in Sandviken, some 162 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Stockholm, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023. In a press release, police stated {that a} man in his 20s and one other in his 70s died Friday of accidents sustained within the capturing late Thursday on the pub in Sandviken. Credit score: AP/Henrik Hansson

“It’s dangerous sufficient that the gangs shoot one another to dying, however when utterly harmless folks find yourself within the line of fireplace, it’s completely horrific,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated Kristersson stated, in line with Swedish information company TT.

Earlier this month, a 13-year-old boy was discovered shot within the head in woods, close to his house close to Stockholm. Prosecutor Lisa dos Santos stated Thursday that his dying was a chilling instance of “gross and utterly reckless gang violence.”

The violence reportedly is fueled by a feud over medication and arms between two gangs, led by a twin Turkish-Swedish man who lives in Turkey and his former lieutenant.

Sweden’s center-right authorities has been tightening legal guidelines to sort out gang-related crime, whereas the top of Sweden’s police stated earlier this month that warring gangs had introduced an “unprecedented” wave of violence to the Scandinavian nation.