A 14-year-old boy suspected of shooting six teenagers in the Swedish city of Gavle sent a chilling text message to his social worker after the attack, according to local media. The message read: 'Check the news hehe'. The teenager was reported missing hours after the shooting, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday.
The shooting took place at around 2am in the Soder area of Gavle, a port city 86 miles north of Stockholm. Gunfire erupted on Sodra Kungsgatan, a street lined with bars and restaurants. Witnesses reported that the gunman fired a pistol at close range into a crowd standing outside restaurants. Police swarmed the area and cordoned off the street as victims were carried to ambulances.
The suspect was arrested shortly after the shooting near the crime scene and was questioned over the weekend. He is suspected of six counts of attempted murder and aggravated weapons offences. Police believe the victims were not specifically targeted and that the shooting may be gang-related. None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, and two were released from hospital on Saturday.
Police spokesperson Tobias Ahlén Svalbro said investigators have a 'relatively good' timeline of events but have not yet established a motive. He added that many witnesses have been questioned, with more to be heard. The victims include young adults and people under 18.
Shariar Rad, a restaurant owner near the scene, said his staff took in three of the wounded before ambulances arrived. Residents expressed shock, with one woman telling local radio: 'You don't really want to be out late at night. You're worried about your children. What a society we've created. It's crazy.'
Sweden's Minister of Justice Gunnar Strommer described the attack as 'another dark example of the significant capacity for violence among criminals'. The suspect was already known to police and had been flagged for associating with criminal circles.
