A chilling message sent by a 14-year-old boy suspected of shooting six teenagers in the city of Gävle, Sweden, has left the country reeling. The suspect reportedly texted his social worker “Check the news hehe” shortly after carrying out the attack early Saturday morning.
The Shooting in Gävle
Gunfire broke out around 2 a.m. in the Söder district of Gävle, a coastal city 86 miles north of Stockholm. Witnesses reported seeing a young man open fire into a crowd standing outside restaurants and bars on Södra Kungsgatan, according to Expressen. Photos from the scene showed police swarming the area as emergency crews rushed victims to ambulances.
Police say six people, mostly teenagers and young adults, were injured. None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, and two have already been released from the hospital. Authorities believe the shooting was gang-related and that the victims were not the intended targets.
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Get Tested TodayThe Chilling Text Message
According to Swedish media, the suspect—who was already known to police—was in contact with social services before the shooting. When caseworkers tried to reach him on Saturday, he refused to reveal his plans and later sent the haunting text message: “Check the news hehe.” The boy was reported missing shortly after and arrested near the crime scene hours later.
Police and Government Response
Gävle police confirmed the suspect faces six counts of attempted murder and aggravated weapons offenses. Investigators say they have a “relatively good” understanding of the timeline of events but are still working to determine the motive.
Sweden’s Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer condemned the attack, saying it reflected the growing violence plaguing Swedish cities. “Victims of crime, their loved ones, and all the people in Gävle who wake up today to grim headlines and feel worry and fear about the violence and what it is doing to our society,” he said in a statement published by the Swedish Government.
Witness Accounts
Restaurant owner Shariar Rad told reporters that his staff helped three wounded people into his restaurant before ambulances arrived. Local residents expressed shock and fear over the rise in youth-related violence. “You’re worried about your children. What a society we’ve created,” one woman told local radio.
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