Here is the Police's Statistics on Shootings and Bombings

The number of shootings has dropped sharply in recent years, something often highlighted as a clear turning point. But behind the statistics, the Police Authority sees a more complex and fundamentally worrying development. They note that the level of conflict in criminal environments remains high. One shouldn’t jump to conclusions just because November had fewer shootings and bomb attacks than the previous month.

During November, five shootings occurred in Sweden in the immigrant gang crime environment, one of which was fatal—on average, one shooting per week. However, no one was injured by gun violence in November, which can be compared to October when twelve people were injured—several people every week.

Bombings also decreased during the month, but there were still ten in total—an average of two each week. At the same time, it is emphasized that these short-term declines do not necessarily reflect a decrease in overall gang-related crime.

Bomb Attacks as Tools of Power and Intimidation

Regarding bomb attacks, the police note that the number of preparations for public endangerment is higher than both completed attacks and attempts. This indicates a persistently high level of readiness for violence. These acts are often strategic, intended to intimidate, make a statement, or collect debts rather than to kill. Homemade bombs using pyrotechnics are common, as are hand grenades smuggled into the country and used when access to firearms is more limited.

The fact that bomb attacks have become an increasingly common feature is also confirmed in national statistics. During the first eleven months of the year, significantly more detonations have been registered than in previous years, while shootings have declined.

Decreased Shootings Could Mean Paused Conflicts

The drop in shootings has, according to some experts, been interpreted as a result of more effective police work and more arrests, something the police themselves are also keen to emphasize. However, other observers argue that low numbers of shootings may just as well be due to gang conflicts being temporarily on hold.

When open gang wars subside, time and resources are freed up for other crimes, such as drug dealing, fraud, and extortion—activities that generate more income than violent confrontations. From this perspective, a period of fewer shootings can paradoxically coincide with organized crime as a whole becoming stronger, rather than weaker.

Increasingly Younger Recruited for Serious Violence

Perhaps the most alarming trend concerns the age of offenders. The police and several criminologists point out that more and more children and very young teenagers are being drawn into serious violent crimes. During the first eleven months of the year, over 150 children under 15 have been suspected of involvement in murder plots—a sharp increase compared to previous years.

Digital communication platforms enable criminal networks to quickly reach and recruit children with weak safety nets. Young perpetrators can also be exploited precisely because they are protected under criminal law, which lowers the threshold for bombings and other violent assignments. According to the police, this development risks having long-term consequences far beyond today’s statistics.

National Decline – Local Concern

Among others, SVT and Omni report halved shootings compared to the peak years at the beginning of the 2020s, both in Stockholm and nationally. At the same time, their compilations, based on police figures, show that bombings are on the rise and extortion motives have become ever clearer. The drop in shootings also comes from an extremely high level, even from an international perspective.

The police summarize the situation by saying that the willingness and ability to use serious violence remains high in criminal environments. The statistics on shootings and bomb attacks are also preliminary and can be adjusted afterward, which further underscores the need for caution in interpretation.

A Warning Signal Behind the Numbers

The message from the police is clear: fewer shootings do not automatically mean a safer society. When violence changes form, perpetrators get younger, and bomb attacks are increasingly used as tools of power, the development rather indicates that the nature of the problems is changing rather than disappearing. Behind the calmer surface, there is still a high level of conflict—and a generation of children at risk of being drawn ever deeper into organized crime.