Gang shootings have long been a metropolitan phenomenon. But in recent years, the number of shootings in small and medium-sized cities has increased. This year alone, half of all firearms murders have occurred outside major cities. This can be compared with the last four years, when around a third of the murders took place in small and medium-sized cities.
Criminologist Manne Gerell is not surprised by the development and believes that it is natural for the violence to spread.
– When this norm of using firearms is cemented in the big cities in the gangs that are there, sooner or later it will look for the smaller cities, he says.
Three murders only in Kalmar
Kalmar is one of the cities that stands out. From being in principle completely free from firearms violence, the city can count on nine shootings in just 2022, in these three men have died and one has been injured.
The police believe that these are power struggles that have escalated in connection with police operations. Several leading criminals have been sentenced to long prison terms and large consignments of drugs have been seized.
– This has created a debt situation and a vacuum where younger actors now want to get up, says Olof Bråve, local police area manager in Kalmar.
Record number of shootings in Eskilstuna
Eskilstuna also stands out when it comes to the number of shootings. There have been shootings 15 times this year, which can be compared with the whole of 2021 when twelve shootings were registered.
Another city that stands out is Örebro, which during the month of May had to deal with three murders in the criminal environment.
National Police Chief Anders Thornberg is concerned about the development and believes that the most important effort is to stop new recruitment.
– I have been National Police Chief for four years and we have talked every single day that this would happen. Now it is a big mobilization but we are out late and this will continue for a long time. The only long-term solution is to break new recruitment.