According to a report by the Swedish Police Authority, firearm violence in Sweden decreased in 2024 for the second consecutive year. Last year, 296 confirmed shootings took place – which is almost 20% lower than in 2023.
– Our assessment is that the decrease is due to our increased ability to prevent and avert acts of violence, says Johan Olsson, head of the police’s national operations department, Noa.
However, he stresses that “the level of conflict and demand for violence” remains high and that gangs continue to try to use digital environments to recruit new members and people who can commit acts of violence.
According to the police, they have become better at apprehending suspected killers quickly and the number of identified suspects per shooting has also increased.
– This means that today we achieve broader prosecutions and can target more of those involved than before, Olsson continues.
The police authority states that over the past two years, it has developed the ability to collect and analyze information, both in terms of hunting down perpetrators and the actual investigative work afterwards. In addition, it is claimed that the ability to bring together information available in local police areas, criminal investigation of serious crimes, intelligence and international activities has been strengthened.
Relatives still “legitimate” targets
Last year, 44 people were killed in firearm violence compared to 54 in 2023 – while 66 were injured. There has also been a slight decrease in the number of relatives and innocent people injured or killed in shootings and explosions.
– Our view is that the approach that emerged in 2023, where family members are seen as legitimate targets, unfortunately persists, notes Johan Olsson.
The police also note that the suspected perpetrators are getting younger and that the proportion of suspects under 18 has more than doubled since 2019.
Last year, a quarter of all suspected shooters were minors and some of them were also under 15 years old. For fatal shootings in 2024, around a third of the suspects were under 18 and a dozen were under 15.