Criminologist Joakim Sturup has investigated murders and attempted murders in Stockholm during the period 2011 to 2018. During that time, cases where automatic weapons have been used have increased by 50 percent.

- During the same time period, we also see an increase in empty sleeves left at the crime scene. On average, there were six in 2011 and up to twelve in 2018, so it is a doubling, says Joakim Sturup.

The damage from violence has also increased.

- We also see an escalation in the severity of the violence. In 2011, there were four injuries per victim to eleven gunshot wounds in 2018. We are now analyzing the figures for 2019 and so far in 2020 and the preliminary figures show that the trend with automatic weapons continues, says Joakim Sturup.

Increased risk with automatic weapons

In the case in Norsborg where a 12-year-old girl was shot to death, a large number of shots were fired. According to information to SVT, the shots were aimed at the perpetrators' rivals but hit the girl by mistake.

- The risk naturally increases for the public when automatic weapons are involved. They are harder to control and these people are not as used to handling those weapons. But it is also about where it happens and there are more and more agreements in public places.

According to criminologist Mikael Rying at the National Operations Department of the Police (NOA), at least ten people have died accidentally in shootings during the last ten years.

Classified as "drive-by" shooting

The murder of the girl in Norsborg is classified as a "drive-by" shooting that is done on the go from, for example, a car. But whether that form of shooting is increasing is difficult to determine.

- It is not something we have studied in more detail, but I know of four cases in Sweden and all have taken place during the last four-year period. Then there are a dozen more where we suspect that they shot from a vehicle on the move, says Joakim Sturup to SVT Nyheter.