Police were alerted to Ledinge in Knivsta municipality on Saturday morning. A dead body had been found outdoors by a passerby - and police immediately launched a preliminary investigation into murder.

A large area was blocked off at the site where the body was found.

- It was a huge shock when ambulance and police cars came full speed with sirens turned on. It was believed that something had happened here. But police said it was about an outsider, says a person living in the area to SVT.

Five arrested

On Saturday evening, police stated that eight people had been detained, several of whom were arrested in Gävle. Karin Rosander, communications director at the Prosecutor's Office, later confirmed that five of those arrested have been arrested as reasonably suspected of murder.

- It feels awful, you are stressed and tense throughout your body. It has been a traumatic day, says the residents of the area.

Police say the deceased has not yet been identified.