Swedish police arrest teenager after 3 dead in Uppsala shooting

The Swedish police have arrested a 16-year-old boy after a tragic shooting inside a barber shop that left three young men dead.

The shooting happened on Tuesday in Uppsala, a city about 40 miles from Stockholm. A masked gunman, who turned out to be just 16, reportedly chased one of the victims into the shop and then shot him and two others in the head.

Two of the victims were still wearing their barber shop capes when they died. After the attack, the shooter escaped on an electric scooter.

Police haven’t released the shooter’s name yet and are still working to confirm the identities of all the victims.

Reports suggest that this attack might be linked to the growing gang violence in Sweden. One of the victims was already known to police because he was connected to an investigation involving a gang leader named Ismail Abdo, also known as “The Strawberry.” Abdo’s mother was killed in 2023, which sparked a violent period of gang warfare in the area.

Although police said this seemed like a one-time incident and that the public wasn’t in danger, experts warned there could be revenge attacks soon.

Gang violence among teenagers has become a serious problem in Sweden. In fact, the government is now pushing for new laws that would let police wiretap kids under 15 without needing strong proof. Even though this could violate privacy rights, officials say it’s needed to stop gangs from recruiting children.

The shooting happened just as Uppsala was preparing for its Walpurgis festival, a big spring celebration where students usually enjoy fun activities like river races. Police have told people to stay alert but not to cancel their plans.

Gang recruiters often lure vulnerable kids through social media apps like Snapchat and Telegram, offering big payouts — sometimes up to £13,000 — for carrying out killings. Kids, some as young as 11, are being used because Swedish law says children under 15 can’t be prosecuted.

Authorities are deeply worried, with one top police officer warning that sending kids across the country to commit crimes for cash is becoming the “new normal.”

Prosecutors are now pushing for harsher punishments for young gang members, as violence involving children has skyrocketed in recent years.

Read More: Elon Musk is no longer working with Donald Trump, White House issues update