Social Media Fuels Alarming Rise in Gang Violence: Swedish Teens Recruited for Deadly Crimes in Denmark
August 4, 2024Recently, two Swedish teenagers, aged 17 and 16, were arrested for shootings in Kolding and Copenhagen, respectively.
The 16-year-old is accused of firing a 9-millimeter Glock pistol at an unidentified person, who was not hit.
In Kolding, a man was shot multiple times in the leg, while no injuries were reported in the Copenhagen shooting.
These incidents are part of a troubling trend of violent shootings in Copenhagen that has escalated in recent months.
A report from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention highlights a significant increase in armed attacks compared to other European countries.
In 2023, Swedish police recorded 283 armed attacks between rival gangs, resulting in 44 deaths and 87 injuries.
Sweden's rate of deaths from armed attacks stands at four per million people, significantly higher than the European average of 1.6.
Danish politicians, including Preben Bang Henriksen, have expressed alarm over this unprecedented trend of gang recruitment via social media.
Henriksen plans to discuss the issue with the Minister of Justice, emphasizing the need for increased police focus on digital recruitment.
Officials are increasingly alarmed by organized criminals using social media to recruit young Swedes for violent acts.
Swedish police report that most gang recruitment is now digital, a trend that is relatively new to Denmark.
Danish police have discovered that young Swedes are being paid large sums to commit dangerous crimes, including attempted murder.
Summary based on 2 sources
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Sources
The Copenhagen Post • Aug 2, 2024
Police: Swedish boys are hired for serious crime in Denmark - The Copenhagen Post