3 dead in mass shooting incident in Sweden
The shooting happened when people were marking the eve of the Walpurgis spring festival, which brings large crowds to the streets.
At least three people were dead and several others were injured in a mass shooting incident reportedly at a hair salon in Sweden on Tuesday, April 29, reported Reuters citing police officials.
Three people died in the mass shooting incident in Sweden's Uppsala, which is 60 kms north of the capital city Stockholm. The shooting took place near Vaksala Square in the city's center.
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The shooting happened when people were marking the eve of the Walpurgis spring festival, which brings large crowds to the streets, according to a BBC report.
In a statement cited by Reuters, police in the eastern Swedish city said they received multiple calls from the public reporting sounds resembling gunfire. Emergency services were rushed to the scene.
"Three people are confirmed dead after a shooting... The police are investigating the incident as a homicide," investigators said in the statement.
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According to Euronews, authorities had cordoned off a large section of the city.
Witnesses told broadcaster SVT they had heard five gunshots and had seen people in the area running to take cover. They had also allegedly seen the suspect drive away on a scooter.
Police have opened a murder investigation and are searching for one suspected perpetrator, as reported by news agency TT.
Gun violence in Sweden
In February this year, Sweden witnessed its deadliest mass shooting when a 35-year-old unemployed man opened fire at an adult education centre in the city of Örebro, killing ten students and teachers.
The country has suffered from a wave of gang-related violence, including an increase in gun violence over the last 10 years.
Perpetrators in these crimes have often been found to be young teenagers below age 15, who are hired because they are under the age of criminal responsibility in the country.
In response to the increase in gun violence, the country’s right-wing government, which came into power in 2022, announced plans to tighten gun control laws.
