In Södertälje, the police continue to increase their presence after the series of violent crimes with explosions and shootings that took place at the beginning of the week.
Now they warn that there is a high risk of new acts of violence in the coming days.
– The stark reality is that the conflict is so twisted, so there is a high risk of further acts of violence, says Max Åkerwall, deputy head of police area Stockholm south.
In a short time, violence in the municipality flared up again. A grenade was thrown into a shop in the Geneta area of Södertälje on Monday and on Tuesday shots were fired in the Hovsjö district and a man was injured. On Wednesday, two hand grenades were found just a stone’s throw from the grocery store that was blown up.
No new safety zone
The killing has occurred shortly after the police chose not to extend a safety zone established in early July when a young man was shot dead. The safety zone that was established in the districts of Geneta and Västra Blombacka ceased to apply on the night of Saturday. According to the police, there is no question of a new safety zone at the moment, despite the high risk of new violent crimes.
– The discussion about the safety zone is something that we constantly think about. It’s a tool in our big toolbox and something we can take advantage of in some respects but right now we haven’t made that assessment. Now it’s about persistence, doing the basic work in terms of intelligence, preliminary investigation and working proactively, says Max Åkerwall.
Adds resources
Instead, the police in Södertälje are intensifying their work and adding resources in the form of both uniformed and civilian police officers.
– We receive resources both from the Stockholm region and from the rest of the country. We also add more specialist skills and work with covert means of coercion in the environment and drones as a complement to existing camera positions in the area, says Max Åkerwall.
Young people arrested
On Wednesday morning, two people were arrested for the shooting in Hovsjö. Both are in their early teens and are suspected of serious weapons offenses and attempted murder, according to the Prosecutor’s Office. A person has also been arrested on suspicion of having thrown the grenade into the shop in Hovsjö. There, too, it concerns a young person who has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and public destruction.
“Good hopes”
Max Åkerwall hopes that the resources that are now being added will stop the escalation of violence.
– By parrying with additional resources and abilities, we have good hope of being able to push back the escalation. We will make it really difficult and problematic to be a criminal. Then we can never give any guarantees, but I really hope that we can soon go back to a normal situation in Södertälje again.