One dead, another injured in shooting in shopping center in Sweden; teenager arrested
STOCKHOLM (REUTERS, AFP) – Swedish police arrested a teenage boy on Friday (August 19) for killing one person and injuring another in a shooting at a shopping center in southern Malmö.
A man died from his injuries and a woman is being treated at the hospital after the incident at the Emporia center, police said.
“The immediate danger to the public is judged to be over,” police said in a statement. “At the moment, the incident is considered to be connected to the criminal environment.”
Police were on the scene, interviewing witnesses and reviewing footage from surveillance cameras.
Murders due to gang violence have increased in Sweden, adding to voters’ concerns ahead of next month’s election.
So far this year, 44 people have been shot dead in Sweden, almost all in connection with suspected gang crime, according to the police. That can be compared to 46 for the whole of 2021.
Representatives from the police and the city of Malmö will hold a press conference on Saturday (August 20) morning.
Earlier, police said they cordoned off the area and asked the public to avoid going to the mall.
Police did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
In July, three people were killed in a shooting in a shopping center in the Danish capital Copenhagen, about 30 kilometers from Malmö.