Two people were killed and two others were injured when a gunman opened fire in a restaurant in a small town in eastern Sweden late Thursday night. Police stated that this incident appears to be part of a wave of increasing violence among criminal gangs.
Police spokesperson Magnus Jansson Klarin said, "Several people were taken to the hospital after the shooting in the small town of Sandviken, located 190 kilometers north of the capital Stockholm, and two died from their injuries." He added in an interview with Swedish news agency TT, "We believe one of the deceased, a man in his twenties, was the intended target. We think the other three were there by chance."
He noted, "There may be links to the criminal environment, but I cannot specify any particular group," pointing out that "one of the victims was the target of the attack, whereas the other three victims were likely unintended."
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson condemned the incident, saying, "This highlights the extreme violence... gang members shooting at each other is very bad, but when innocent people end up in the line of fire, it's truly horrific."
Sweden has experienced a surge in shootings and bombings in recent years, with an increase in severity over the past few months, leading to almost daily occurrences.
