Significant rise in prosecutions for murder preparations
Police report a sharp increase in prosecutions for preparing murders and inciting murders in gang environments. Over the past twelve months, prosecutions for murder preparation have risen to 140, compared to 50 two years ago. This has contributed to fewer deaths and injuries from shootings.
According to National Police Commissioner Petra Lundh, prosecutions have risen sharply for both preparing murders and inciting murders. Over the past twelve months, there have been 140 prosecutions for murder preparation, up from 50 during the same period in 2021/2022. For inciting murder, the figure has increased from 10 to 85.
Lundh views the trend positively: "It means we have stopped an incident before it happens; that's the confirmation we're getting now." She also notes that prosecutions for preparation require substantial evidence, as such crimes are hard to prove.
Arrests often occur when police detect murder assignments in chats or stop suspicious vehicles. Cars may contain weapons or grenades, and phones reveal concrete plans for serious violent crimes. Not all cases lead to charges specifically for murder preparation, sometimes resulting in weapons offenses instead. Children under 15 face no prosecutions.
Mats Berggren, deputy head of Noa, highlights the rise in inciting murder: "It means we're reaching higher in the hierarchies and targeting not just the perpetrators, but also enablers who finance or recruit for these crimes." Instigators abroad are harder to reach, Lundh says.
The police's changed approach, with increased internal collaboration across regions and units, has yielded results. So far this year, the number of people affected by shootings is the lowest since 2017, with 45 individuals (23 dead) through August – far fewer than 78 (31 dead) at the same time in 2024. In September, six more people died from gun violence.