3 killed in shootings and an explosion in Sweden as a feud between criminal gangs worsens

Three people were killed overnight in separate incidents in Sweden as a feud between criminal gangs escalated, making September the deadliest month on record for gun violence in the country.
Two gangs are reportedly fighting over drugs and weapons, and this month has seen a sharp increase in fatal shootings in the northern European country, which has a relatively low crime rate and is considered a very safe place to live.
Late Wednesday, an 18-year-old man was shot dead in a Stockholm suburb. Hours later, one man was killed and another was wounded in a shooting in Jordbro, south of the Swedish capital.
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
- Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News, right at your fingertips
Early Thursday a woman in her 20s died in an explosion in Uppsala, west of Stockholm, that police are treating as murder. Swedish media said the woman who died was likely not the intended victim and that the real target was the house next door.
At least two of the three deaths were linked to a feud between criminal gangs, Swedish media reported.
Two gangs -- one led by a Swedish-Turkish dual national who lives in Turkiye, the other by his former lieutenant -- are reportedly fighting over drugs and weapons.
National Police Commissioner Anders Thornberg said Thursday that the gang feud was "a serious threat to the safety and security of the country."
In the whole of 2022, 116 people in Sweden lost their lives to deadly violence, covering murder, manslaughter and assault with a lethal outcome, according to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention
The latest fatal shootings bring the death toll from gun violence in September alone to 11, Swedish broadcaster SVT noted. That would make this the deadliest month for shootings since police started keeping statistics in 2016.
Speaking Thursday on Swedish broadcaster TV4, Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said,"It is a deeply tragic development. I understand that people feel anger, fear and sadness."
Magdalena Andersson, leader of the opposition Social Democrats, called for the military to be sent in. She told Swedish radio that the military could free up police by carrying out some transportation and guard duties.
Strömmer said that it was "not relevant to deploy the military," but that he was prepared to listen to all parties when it comes to solving the wave of violence.
Four people have been detained on suspicion of complicity in the fatal shooting in Jordbro. Police said that two people have been arrested over the Uppsala explosion, which was so violent that the facades of two houses were blown away. The blast wave could be felt by seismic monitoring stations some 20 kilometres (12 miles) away, the TT news agency said.
"We assume that those who have been affected by the incident have nothing to do with the national conflict," said Catarina Bowall, a senior officer with the Uppsala police.
"This is one of the worst explosions in the area," local police chief Ulf Johansson said.
Uppsala, some 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Stockholm, has been the scene of many feud-related shooting and explosions.
Earlier this week, two powerful blasts ripped through dwellings in central Sweden, injuring at least three people and damaging buildings.
The centre-right government has been tightening laws to tackle gang-related crime, while the head of Sweden's police has said that warring gangs have brought an "unprecedented" wave of violence to the country.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

'Shadows of children': For the youngest hostages, life moves forward in whispers
After seven weeks held hostage in the tunnels of Gaza, they are finally free to laugh and chat and play. But some of the children who have come back from captivity are still reluctant to raise their voices above a whisper.
Ibrahim Ali found guilty of killing 13-year-old girl in B.C.
A jury has found Ibrahim Ali guilty of killing a 13-year-old girl whose body was found in a Burnaby, B.C., park in 2017.
Protests at UN climate talks, from Israel-Hamas war to detainees, see 'shocking level of censorship'
Activists designated Saturday a day of protest at the COP28 summit in Dubai. But the rules of the game in the tightly controlled United Arab Emirates meant sharp restrictions on what demonstrators could say, where they could walk and what their signs could portray.
Marathon Conservative carbon tax filibuster ends after nearly 30 consecutive hours of House votes
The Conservative-prompted filibuster in the House of Commons ended Friday night, after MPs spent nearly 30 hours voting non-stop on the government's spending plans.
New U.S. aid for Ukraine by year-end seems increasingly of out reach as GOP ties it to border security
A deal to provide further U.S. assistance to Ukraine by year-end appears to be increasingly out of reach for President Joe Biden. The impasse is deepening in Congress despite dire warnings from the White House about the consequences of inaction as Republicans insist on pairing the aid with changes to America's immigration and border policies.
Israel presses ahead with bombarding Gaza, including areas it told Palestinians to evacuate to
Israeli warplanes struck parts of the Gaza Strip in relentless bombardment Saturday, hitting some of the dwindling bits of land it had told Palestinians to evacuate to in the territory's south. The strikes came a day after the United States vetoed a United Nations resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, despite its wide support.
Turkiye's Erdogan accuses the West of 'barbarism' and Islamophobia in the war in Gaza
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used a speech on human rights Saturday to accuse the West of "barbarism" for its stance on the Israel-Hamas war and what he alleged was its toleration of Islamophobia.
CSIS boss apologizes for response to rape claim, revamps anti-harassment plans
Canada's spy chief has apologized to staff for his response to rape and harassment allegations in the agency's British Columbia office.
Observers see OPEC 'panicking' as COP28 climate talks focus on possible fossil fuel phase-out
Veteran negotiators at the United Nations climate talks Saturday said that the push to wean the world from dirty fossil fuels had gained so much momentum that they had poked a powerful enemy: the oil industry.