Sweden shootout leaves 3 dead: Masked gunman opens fire in hair salon, gang violence feared

A shootout at a hair salon in the Swedish city of Uppsala on Tuesday evening (April 29) left three people dead, local police confirmed. The attack, staged by a masked assailant who fled the scene on a scooter, has sparked fresh concerns about rising gang violence in the country.

“We have three people confirmed dead, but we have not confirmed their identities yet,” police spokesman Magnus Jansson Klarin told AFP. “We received reports of a masked person on an electric scooter, we are looking into those reports,” he added.

Timing sparks alarm ahead of Valborg Festival

The shooting occurred just a day before Uppsala’s Valborg spring festival, an annual celebration that draws over 100,000 visitors. Authorities worked to secure the area around the crime scene and reassure the public.

“There are 100,000 to 150,000 people expected in Uppsala for Valborg tomorrow, and there are already a whole lot here today,” said Klarin. “People should not be afraid to come tomorrow.”

Gang violence suspected but not confirmed

Though police have not officially linked the attack to gang warfare, Swedish media reported that one of the victims was suspected of involvement in a plot targeting a relative of gang leader Ismail Abdo.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer called the incident “extremely serious,” but authorities have yet to confirm any gang-related motives.

Recent mass shooting casts shadow over Sweden

This latest attack comes just months after Sweden's deadliest mass shooting in February, when 10 people were killed in Örebro by a lone gunman at an adult education centre. That incident prompted the country’s right-wing government to announce plans for stricter gun control measures.

Authorities have not yet announced whether the Uppsala shooting is linked to organised crime, terrorism, or other motives.