Only five of Sweden’s 100 largest municipalities have completely avoided gang-related violence between 2020 and 2024, according to a review by Schibsted newspaper Aftonbladet.
During this period, nearly 700-800 people were shot in a total of 73 municipalities – a trend that clearly shows how serious violence is spreading beyond the big cities.
The police’s own statistics from recent years point to a worsening situation in terms of the number of shootings in Sweden.
Between 2020 and 2024, depending on the source, 698-766 people were shot, of which 235-252 were fatal, according to Aftonbladet’s review and police data – an average of almost one shooting a week.
In 27 of the 100 largest municipalities, there are no recorded shootings, and of these, only five have not reported any gang-related incidents at all.
Criminal networks such as Foxtrot and Dalen-ligan are identified as key actors behind the trend. They fuel conflicts locally and use shootings as a means to take control of territory and illegal markets.
“Expansion war”
According to police commissioner Kristian Malzoff, at the police’s National Operations Department (NOA), it is a strategy to expand influence and establish itself nationally by supporting smaller gangs.
– It’s a kind of expansion war, where the networks compete for local subgroups, Malzoff told Aftonbladet.
Recently, the violence has also affected outsiders. In Fruängen, a teenage boy with no connection to organized crime was killed in 2023 – an example of how the danger to civilians increases as shootings become more frequent and more ruthless.
– [The gangs] have had a strategic plan to gain ground by actively supporting one side in conflicts between smaller groups, says Malzoff.
Lack of resources and strategy
Several municipalities have now started sounding the alarm about a lack of resources and are appealing for government support to tackle the situation. Despite local efforts, there is no coherent strategy, making it difficult to counter the expansion of gangs.
Police and experts emphasize the need for national coordination and proposals for stricter laws, increased powers and better intelligence have been put forward – but also the importance of preventive measures to prevent recruitment.
The societal consequences are extensive, insecurity is increasing, communities are destabilized and trust in the rule of law is eroding. The Swedish gang problem is no longer a metropolitan phenomenon – but a nationwide, complex and urgent issue.
