Swedish Police Sound Alarm: Gang Warfare Claims Dozens of Innocent Lives

Swedish police on Monday (March 17) released data showing that over the past three years, gang-related shootings in the country have killed 23 innocent bystanders and injured 30 others. The figures underscore Sweden's struggle to curb violent crime.

According to police, the innocent victims include those struck by stray bullets, cases of mistaken identity, and relatives of targeted gang members. Sweden has grappled for over a decade to contain gang violence, which largely stems from settling scores and turf wars over drug markets.

Alexander Wallenius, a tactical coordinator at the Swedish police's national operations department, told news agency TT that one reason so many bystanders are harmed is that perpetrators are often very young. "We are dealing with very young individuals, who in many cases have no prior experience with violent crime, which increases the risk of bullets hitting third parties or hitting the wrong target," Wallenius said.

Minors in Gangs

Swedish gangs frequently use social media and encrypted apps to recruit teenagers—paying them to carry out crimes. Those recruited are often under 15, the age of criminal responsibility in Sweden, meaning they cannot be prosecuted and fall under the responsibility of social welfare agencies, making them valuable tools for gangs.

The center-right minority government, backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, has pushed proposals to crack down on crime and immigration ahead of the general election scheduled for September 13. Last week, the government said it would introduce a bill requiring social media platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat to remove "murder ads" posted by gangs within an hour or face heavy fines.

Earlier, the government also announced plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for offenses carrying prison sentences of four years or more.