Police: Five Bombings and One Fatal Shooting in 24 Hours

In its annual report for 2024 on immigrant-related serious violent crime, the Police Authority praised itself for reducing the number of fatal and injury shootings as well as the number of bombings. However, the outcome for January 2025 shows a significantly bleaker picture, with an average of one bombing per day, and on Tuesday, five places were bombed simultaneously, resulting in a fatal shooting.

On Wednesday, the Police Authority held a press conference after criminal immigrant gangs carried out five bombings and fatally shot a person within 24 hours. A relatively calmer 2024 has been extrapolated to new record figures for 2025, with an average of one bombing per day in January.

On Tuesday, criminal gang bombs exploded in Ödåkra, Kärrtorp, Bagarmossen, Blåsut, Åstaberg, and Upplands-Bro. The Police Authority’s self-praise when presenting the slightly lower numbers of immigrant-related fatal/injury shootings and bombings compared to previous years has been discredited at the beginning of 2025.

“Very Serious”

“We have a very serious situation, not only in Stockholm but also nationally,” stated Tobias Bergkvist, Deputy Regional Police Chief in Stockholm.

The announcement sharply contrasts the self-praise of the Police Authority when it publicized the 2024 summary of fatal/injury shootings and bombings in criminal immigrant environments. According to the authority, the decrease in numbers from record highs to very high levels was due to increased police efforts compared to previous years.

“The connection to criminal [immigrant] networks is very clear. It is in these contexts that all these crimes are committed,” Tobias informed the gathered press.

More Extortion, Fewer Settlements

Hampus Nygårds, Deputy Chief at the National Operational Department (Noa), also participated in the press conference. According to him, there has been a shift in bombings from being about settlements within and between different immigrant gangs to more often constituting part of extortion against third parties.

“What we are seeing now is an escalation of violence but also a change in the problem. The majority of the explosions we have experienced in December and January have more economic incentives, are strategic acts aimed at companies, often for extortion. They demand money to cease the violence and threats,” Nygårds revealed.

From Analog to Digital Recruitment

He further informed the attending journalists that immigrant gangs have streamlined what the police call a “criminal ecosystem” from manual recruitment of young aspirants for crimes on football fields and in stairwells to a “large-scale” recruitment on digital platforms. There, lethal violence is offered for payment, and reportedly, minors with immigrant backgrounds are queuing up to commit murder for money.

“The extent of this problem is very large. Combating this type of [immigrant-related] crime is obviously challenging,” Nygårds informed.

For every criminal gang member the police apprehend, a large number of new talents are ready to take over. Just recently, around 50 serious gang criminals – perpetrators, bomb makers, etc. – have been arrested, yet the bombings continue unabated.

Justice Minister Calls for Crisis Meeting

For the same reasons as the Police Authority’s press conference on Wednesday, Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M) announced that he has called for an extra meeting with the Council for Organized Crime.

“We have had an exceptional day behind us with five explosions in a single day. Just last night, we also had the first fatal shooting of the year,” Strömmer commented to the Swedish News Agency (TT).

“Everyone’s Responsibility”

A common thread during the press conference was that the responsibility for stopping the escalation of immigrant-related criminal gang violence and reversing the trend does not lie solely with the Police Authority – “The entire society must engage” and “Everyone must take responsibility because we all have a responsibility,” it was stated, among other things.

According to the police, there are also “no easy solutions” to address the problem, implying that we must learn to live with this for a long time to come.

The press conference can be viewed in its entirety HERE.