SAA event in Stockholm, Midsommarkransen area, Sweden on Sat 3rd August 2024

A 25-year-old man was shot to death at a restaurant in Midsommarkransen in southern Stockholm, late on Saturday. According to SVT's sources, the man has connections to a criminal network.

- All of a sudden there were three explosions and then we fell to the floor, says a witness to SVT Nyheter.

At 11 p.m., the police were alerted by several callers who heard loud bangs at the Midsommarkransen subway station.

- A man was hit by several shots while he was inside a restaurant, said Helena Boström Thomas, press spokesperson at the Stockholm police shortly after the incident.

Later that night, police confirmed that the 25-year-old man died from his injuries. Relatives have been notified. Several people were arrested during the night but were released as there were no grounds for arrest, the police announced.

Sources tell SVT that the victim is connected to a criminal network. According to Mats Eriksson, press spokesperson for the police in Stockholm, it is too early to say whether the fatal shooting can be linked to the last week's shootings. The same goes for the deceased man.

- We work on the basis of several leads, but the very approach of stepping into a restaurant and shooting a person to death may indicate that it is about gang crime, but we always work broadly, he says.

Police have also obtained access to a surveillance video, which may have captured the murder.

- But where and how we got it, I can't go into that, says Mats Eriksson.

The restaurant and a large adjacent area were cordoned off during the night. A preliminary investigation into suspected murder has been launched and the police are working on several investigative measures.

The owner of the neighborhood restaurant is shocked by what happened. But say they received support from the police and crisis team during the day. Despite that, they will open the doors again on Sunday.

- It was a terrible event yesterday. But staying open today is a way we can help each other deal with this situation, says the restaurant owner, who wishes to remain anonymous.

SVT Nyheter has spoken to a witness who was in the restaurant when the shooting occurred.

- It was sick, it's like nothing you've experienced before. All of a sudden there were three small bangs and then we dived to the floor. Then we got up when we saw people outside and understood that the danger was over, says the witness, who remains anonymous.

According to the witness, the police were on the scene after about three minutes.

- Everyone who was inside the restaurant was taken out the back way and questioned by the police, says the person.

On Sunday, crisis support and police are on site in Svandammsparken.