Gunmen Open Fire Near Mosque in Sweden’s Orebro, Two Injured as Police Link Attack to Gang Activity

Tension continues to grip the Swedish city of Orebro following a brazen shooting incident near a mosque that left two individuals injured on Friday. Law enforcement authorities in the region have described the attack as an attempted murder, and investigations are now pointing toward possible links with organised criminal networks operating within the country.
According to reports confirmed by Orebro police, the shooting took place in the vicinity of a central mosque, raising initial concerns about potential religious targeting. However, authorities later clarified that while worshippers were present during the incident, the mosque itself does not appear to have been the intended target. The assailant remains at large, with an active manhunt currently underway. No arrests had been made as of press time, but security operatives continue to comb the area in search of leads.
The victims, whose identities and specific injuries have not been made public, were immediately rushed to hospital for treatment. While their conditions remain undisclosed, the Swedish police have officially classified the shooting as a case of attempted murder, suggesting that the attack was deliberate and carefully executed. The ongoing investigation has drawn attention to Sweden’s long-standing battle with gang-related violence—a scourge that has deepened over the past decade.
In a public statement, the police acknowledged that preliminary findings suggest a strong connection to “criminal network environments,” a term often used by Swedish authorities to describe gang factions known to operate with military-style weapons and brutal tactics. Sweden, once considered one of Europe’s safest nations, has witnessed a sharp rise in gun violence and organised crime, particularly in urban and suburban centres.
This latest incident comes just months after a devastating school shooting in the same city of Orebro back in February 2025, when a lone, unaffiliated gunman killed ten students and teachers. That tragedy remains Sweden’s deadliest school-based firearm attack in history. Despite occurring in the same city, authorities have stressed that there is no direct link between that attack and the recent mosque-area shooting.
Sweden’s National Police Commissioner, Petra Stenkula, has in recent months raised concerns about escalating tensions and violent clashes between rival gang groups, warning that the situation could spiral further if not contained. According to official crime figures, at least 48 shootings have already been recorded across Sweden in 2025 alone, underlining the gravity of the nation’s internal security challenge.
Residents of Orebro, particularly those in the central district, are being urged to remain vigilant as police increase patrols and surveillance in the area. The broader Muslim community in the region, though not targeted in this particular incident, has expressed concern over rising insecurity and the proximity of violence to places of worship.
As investigations continue, Swedish authorities remain under growing pressure to crack down on criminal networks that have turned many parts of the country into flashpoints of violence. The Orebro incident adds to the growing list of violent crimes that suggest Sweden’s fight against gang warfare is far from over.