UPPSALA, Sweden — A shooting at a hair salon in central Uppsala on Thursday left at least three people dead, prompting Swedish police to launch a large-scale murder investigation and a manhunt for a suspect believed to have fled the scene on an electric scooter.
Authorities confirmed the fatalities following reports of gunfire at Vaksala Square, a busy area in the heart of the city, approximately 45 miles north of Stockholm. Police were alerted after multiple calls from the public described the sound of gunshots in the vicinity.
“Several individuals have been found with injuries consistent with gunfire,” Swedish police said in an official statement. Emergency responders rushed to the location shortly after the calls were received, and a wide perimeter around the crime scene was cordoned off to allow for forensic work and witness interviews.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and confusion in the immediate aftermath of the attack. “There was a shot and then I heard screams,” one person told Swedish outlet Aftonbladet. Another added, “I saw [the suspect] come around a corner and then it started banging.”
Police say they are searching for a man dressed in dark clothing who reportedly fled on an electric scooter. While no arrests had been made by early Friday morning, authorities stated that several “investigative measures” were actively underway, including the collection of surveillance footage and interviews with eyewitnesses.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear, but the attack comes amid a troubling rise in gun violence across Sweden, much of it attributed to escalating gang conflicts. For over a decade, Swedish officials have grappled with a surge in organized crime-related shootings, a phenomenon that has turned once-peaceful cities into battlegrounds for rival groups.
In February, Sweden experienced its deadliest mass shooting to date in the city of Örebro, where ten people were killed by a lone gunman who opened fire at an adult education center. That incident shocked the nation and intensified public calls for stricter gun control measures and tougher crackdowns on criminal networks.
Thursday’s shooting in Uppsala has renewed those concerns, with local leaders urging calm while pressing for swift justice.
Police have urged anyone with information or footage that could assist the investigation to come forward immediately. They have also asked residents to avoid the area as law enforcement continues its work on site.
Further updates are expected as authorities provide more details on the victims, the suspect, and the possible motive behind the shooting. For continuing coverage on this developing story, stay tuned to Bobnews24.com.
