The 2025 Uppsala shooting was a

mass shooting A mass shooting is a violent crime in which one or more attackers use a firearm to Gun violence, kill or injure multiple individuals in rapid succession. There is no widely accepted specific definition, and different organizations tracking su ...

that occurred on April 29, 2025, at a

hair salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, and medical spas. Beauty treatments Hair cut is generally o ...

in Vaksala Square, central

Uppsala Uppsala ( ; ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the capital of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Loc ...

, Sweden. The attack resulted in the deaths of three individuals, all aged between 15 and 20, and is considered part of Sweden's ongoing gang-related violence. A 16-year-old male suspect was detained in connection with the incident, which took place during the city's

Walpurgis Night Walpurgis Night (), an abbreviation of Saint Walpurgis Night (from the German language, German ), also known as Saint Walpurga's Eve (alternatively spelled Saint Walburga's Eve) and Walpurgisnacht, is the Vigil#Eves of religious celebrations ...

celebrations.

Incident

On April 29, 2025, at approximately 5:00 p.m. local time, Swedish police received multiple reports of gunshots in Vaksala Square, Uppsala. Witnesses reported hearing five to eight shots inside a hair salon. Emergency services responded promptly, cordoning off the area and advising the public to avoid Vaksala Square. Three individuals, aged 15 to 20, were found dead at the scene. The suspect, described as masked, fled on an electric scooter, a method often linked to gang-related shootings in Sweden, according to SVT.

Investigation

Swedish police launched a murder investigation, detaining a 16-year-old male suspect on April 30, 2025. The suspect, who had recently returned from

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

and run away from a group home, was held on suspicion of murder. Uppsala's deputy chief prosecutor, Magnus Berggren, noted the suspect's age and background but stated the motive remained unclear. Police are exploring potential gang connections, though no definitive link was confirmed. Door-to-door inquiries were conducted to gather witness accounts, and the victims' identities were not publicly disclosed, with next of kin still being notified.

Response

The shooting, occurring during Walpurgis Night celebrations, shocked Uppsala.

Justice Minister A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

Gunnar Strömmer Gunnar Sören Folke Strömmer (born 19 September 1972) is a Swedish politician of the Moderate Party. He has served as minister for justice in the cabinet of Ulf Kristersson since October 2022 and previously served as secretary-general of the Mo ...

called it "a brutal act of violence," while

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Ulf Kristersson Ulf Hjalmar Kristersson (; born 29 December 1963) is a Swedish politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Sweden, prime minister of Sweden since 2022. He has been the leader of the Moderate Party (M) since 2017 and a Member of Parliamen ...

condemned it as "terrible and ruthless." The shooting heightened concerns about youth involvement in Sweden's gang violence, as minors often face lighter sentences, making them targets for recruitment by criminal networks.

References

{{Reflist Mass shootings in Sweden 2025 in Sweden Uppsala 2025 murders in Europe Deaths by firearm in Sweden April 2025 crimes in Europe April 2025 in Sweden 2020s murders in Sweden 21st century in Uppsala County