Updated Wednesday at 07:30
Three people have been killed as a result of gunfire in the Swedish city of Uppsala. This has been confirmed by Swedish police to Upsala Nya Tidning.
»We are investigating murder. We have three people who have been shot and killed. We have many resources at work and are in the process of getting an idea of what has happened«, said police spokesperson Magnus Jansson Klarin on Tuesday.
A manhunt is underway for a suspect who reportedly fled on an electric scooter.
Police were still present at the crime scene until shortly before five o’clock Wednesday morning, according to Swedish media SVT.
Furthermore, according to the media’s information one of the deceased individuals was involved in the investigation of another planned attack. The target there was a relative of gang leader Ismail Abdo.
As of Wednesday morning, Swedish police have yet to make any arrests.
»At this moment, we do not wish to provide further comments on a potential description to avoid influencing witnesses. Anyone who has seen something or has information is kindly asked to contact us«, said Maria Hall, press officer for the Swedish police, Tuesday evening.
The shots were fired outside a hair salon, and police have been knocking on doors in the area. According to the police, they are working to identify the deceased, and relatives have not been informed.
The police report that they received calls from citizens who said they heard loud bangs that sounded like gunfire in the city center, prompting a large police response.
»The Worst Feeling«
A witness, on their way to shop at the supermarket Ica, saw the suspected shooter on an electric scooter shortly before the shooting incident.
»I saw him come around a corner, and then shots started ringing.«
The witness ran to Uppsala Concert and Congress Center to hide.
»You panic. After a while, I went back to the crime scene, and the square was in total chaos.«
A Swedish citizen standing by police barricades at around 9 PM reported that his relatives were at the crime scene but that he has not heard from them.
»It is the worst feeling«, he told Upsala Nya Tidning.
A ’Special Event’
The first emergency call came shortly after 5 PM, wrote the Swedish news agency TT.
Police have cordoned off a large area around Vaksala Square and initiated what they call a ’special event’ in connection with the shootings. They announced this on their website. The expression ’special event’ is used by Swedish police when they call in extra resources from other parts of Sweden due to extra needs.
Sweden’s Minister of Justice, Gunnar Strömmer, said Tuesday to the news agency TT that a »brutal act of violence has taken place in central Uppsala«.
»The Ministry of Justice is in close contact with the police and is monitoring the situation closely«, said the minister in a statement.
