A boy under 15 is suspected of carrying out repeated bomb attacks at an apartment building in Malmö. Despite the severity of the suspected crimes, he could neither be arrested nor taken into custody – instead, the evening ended with the police giving him a ride home to his guardians.
The blasts occurred on Wednesday evening at an entrance in the immigrant-dominated problem area Bellevuegården in Malmö. The explosions caused extensive material damage – the front door and windows were destroyed, and the facade showed clear signs of the blast wave.
Shortly after the incident, police found a boy nearby. According to authorities, he is under 15 and is suspected of carrying out the attacks.
– We have spoken to him about what happened, but he is not in custody because of his age, stated the police spokesperson in a comment to Sydsvenskan.
Suspected but Not Arrested – Social Services Had No Time
The boy is singled out as the main suspect, and evidence at the scene indicates that explosive charges were placed at two separate locations by the entrance.
Despite this, no standard compulsory measures could be taken against the suspect. When police tried to have social services take over responsibility, problems arose.
– We contacted emergency social services, but they were unable to take him in, explained the police.
The result was that the patrol instead drove the suspected child soldier home to his guardians in Northwest Skåne.
More Involved
In ongoing work, police have also arrested an adult in their mid-20s, suspected of assisting in severe public endangerment. The investigation suggests the underage suspect did not act alone.
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The reason someone suspected of a serious bombing is dropped off at home by police lies in the special legal status for those under 15 who break the law. The government and Sweden Democrats have proposed legislation to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 13 for certain serious crimes.