Acting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven expressed outrage on Thursday at the killing of a police officer on duty, which he called a rarity in the Nordic country. He also said it was an attack on their open, inclusive society and growing concerns about violent gangs.
There is an increased police presence in the city, as Sweden classified the area as a particularly vulnerable area, a so-called no-go zone, in 2015. " It was with great sadness and shock that we received the news that a police officer was shot dead last night. We will never back down in the fight against organized crime, " Löfven said at a press conference.
In memory of the murdered officer, Sweden observed a minute's silence on Thursday.
The crime shocked the country, a fatal attack on police officers is rare, three people have died in the past twenty years, including Wednesday's victim.
The issue of violent gangs has come under the spotlight after shootings and bomb attacks that killed several people. The case has sparked political battles, with both the right and the left demanding an extreme solution.
Experts do not agree on the reasons for the development of Swedish criminal gangs.
Lax laws, isolated urban areas, immigration, and increased drug trafficking were cited as root causes. The local police announced in a statement that the reason for the attack is unknown. Although they have the identity of the shooter, no one has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Right-wing opposition leader Ulf Kristersson called on Sweden to unite and defeat "domestic terrorists". According to a report published this year by the Swedish National Crime Prevention Council, Sweden has the highest number of armed crimes among twenty-two European countries, and since 2018 the country has been leading the not-so-flattering European ranking for this.
Author: hirado.hu
Photo: Police vehicles at the scene in Gothenburg (Photo: MTI/EPA/TT News Agency/Björn Larsson Rosvall)
