Nils Duquet, an arms smuggling expert at the Flemish Peace Institute in Brussels, expresses concern that more European countries will follow in Sweden’s footsteps when it comes to shootings.
– Sweden is a hotspot for gun violence in Europe, he says.
In 2022, there was an average of more than one shooting per day in Sweden and more than one fatal shooting per week, which is a steady increase from previous years.
According to the Swedish police statistics as of 15th February this year, there have been 41 shootings so far, 4 of them fatal.
Fatal shootings in Sweden continue to increase, while they are decreasing in the rest of Europe. Now experts are worried that Swedish gun violence will spread, reports the Swedish state radio SR.
Nils Duquet, an arms smuggling expert at the Flemish Peace Institute in Brussels, has for many years written reports on gun violence and other issues at the request of the EU. He describes gun violence in Sweden as a “vicious spiral”.
– Sweden is a hotspot for gun violence in Europe. We are afraid that more European countries will follow in Sweden’s footsteps, he says.
Sweden also stands out in terms of perpetrators, some as young as 14, which Duquet also expresses concern could become a trend that the rest of Europe follows.
