When Fredrik D. Andersson tried to stop an ongoing shooting at a gym in Stockholm, he was shot in the head. Today, his actions live on through the civil courage award “The Backbone,” which is annually given to people who act when it truly matters. Samnytt was present at this year’s award ceremony, organized by actor, poet, and singer Rasmus Dahlstedt.
The shooting that ended Fredrik D. Andersson’s life occurred in March 2022 at Delta Gym in Vasastan, central Stockholm. A masked perpetrator – 16 years old at the time – entered the gym armed with a pistol and fired several shots.
According to the investigation, the intended target was another man connected to criminal circles, but the shots instead struck Andersson when he tried to intervene and stop the attack. He was hit in the head and later died of his injuries.
The perpetrator was, as Samnytt previously reported, Frunze Saghatelyan from Armenia. He was 16 years old at the time of the murder and was sentenced in district court to closed juvenile care for two years and eleven months, even though the crime’s severity would have warranted a much longer prison sentence for an adult.
READ ALSO: He shot Fredrik Andersson (MED) dead at gym in Stockholm
The verdict was appealed, and in June 2023, the Svea Court of Appeal increased the sentence to four years in closed juvenile care – the highest possible sentence for a minor.
The court of appeal assessed that the crime was marked by particular ruthlessness and that the severity of the crime in practice would have meant a life sentence if the perpetrator had been an adult.
READ ALSO: Court of Appeal increases the sentence for Fredrik Andersson’s murderer
Despite being convicted of the murder, the perpetrator was granted Swedish citizenship after the incident, which Samnytt has also reported. The decision has sparked criticism and has been cited as an example of how even serious violent crime does not necessarily constitute an obstacle in the citizenship process.
In the aftermath of the event, Fredrik D. Andersson’s memorial fund was established. Its purpose is to keep the memory of his actions alive – and at the same time draw attention to others who have shown similar civil courage. Every year, around the anniversary of his death, the “Backbone” award is presented.
Andersson was also politically engaged in the Citizens’ Coalition party, where he often spoke about the importance of civic involvement.
An Award for Courage and Selflessness
The award is given to a person who “in word or deed has shown selflessness and courage” and thus acts in the same spirit as Fredrik D. Andersson.
In addition to the honor, the recipient receives a glass trophy, a diploma, and a cash prize. But according to the organizers, the symbolic value is central – to highlight actions that might otherwise go unnoticed.
This year’s recipient of the civil courage award “The Backbone” is Tage Perntz. He receives the prize for his work in Ukraine, where, according to the jury, he has shown both perseverance and determination under difficult and risky conditions.
His efforts are described as humanitarian and have been carried out in a war-torn area where the security situation has been severely restricted.
The award’s citation especially emphasizes his “untiring, self-sacrificing, and risky humanitarian work in the war in Ukraine.”
By acting in an environment marked by conflict and uncertainty, Tage Perntz is seen as personifying the civil courage that the award seeks to highlight – a commitment where the desire to help others outweighs concern for one’s own safety.
Previous recipients reflect the broad range of what is considered civil courage.
In 2024, the award went to author and columnist Lena Andersson, with the citation that through her writing she has shown “polemical courage and indomitable devotion to the truth.”
In 2023, the award was given to police officer Carl-Fredrik Jerrhage, who was recognized for saving the life of a colleague during a knife attack.
The first award, in 2022, went to correctional officer Ghazi Pirmosa, who saved lives by intervening against an assailant armed with a knife.
Ceremony with Politicians and Public Figures
The award ceremonies over the years have brought together a range of public figures – from politicians to academics and cultural personalities. At previous ceremonies, for example, then Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard, economist Magnus Henrekson, and MP Fredrik Kärrholm (M) have participated.
At this year’s ceremony, several named guests from both politics, the justice system, and the cultural sphere were present. Minister for Civil Defence, Carl-Oskar Bohlin (M), attended and gave a speech during the event.
Bohlin spoke, among other things, about a Sweden that had failed in connection with Andersson’s murder and warned of a development where the state’s monopoly on violence was being eroded.
READ ALSO: Far-left anger when Bohlin is interviewed by the “wrong” media
Among the guests was also Lieutenant Colonel Johan Huovinen, who in his speech emphasized the importance of trust in society and between people, while also highlighting Fredrik D. Andersson’s contributions in the peacekeeping forces during the war in Bosnia.
The musical performance was provided by violinist Agnieszka Świgut, while glass artist Anna Berglund presented the artwork awarded to the recipient. Overall, the ceremony brought together a wide range of actors from different parts of society around the theme of civil courage.
The event was organized by the memorial fund’s chairman, Rasmus Dahlstedt, who has been instrumental in establishing the award as a recurring manifestation of civil courage in Sweden.
READ ALSO: S leader: No one in the public has been affected by the shootings
The memorial fund’s work revolves around a simple but demanding idea – that courage should not only be admired in retrospect, but also recognized as it happens.
Through the award, the memory of Fredrik D. Andersson is kept alive while new stories of civil courage are written. Each recipient thus becomes a reminder of what is at stake when someone chooses to intervene.