Two Worshippers Injured in Shooting at Swedish Mosque After Friday Prayers
Two people were injured in a shooting outside a mosque in Örebro, Sweden, following Friday prayers. Police are investigating the incident as an attempted murder, but the motive remains unknown, according to Swedish media reports.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A shooting outside a mosque in the Swedish city of Örebro on Friday has left two people injured, with the incident occurring just moments after the conclusion of Friday prayers, according to Swedish media reports.
Police are investigating the violent attack as an attempted murder, but the motive remains unknown, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and concern in the community.
Mazen Muwaffak, a representative of the Örebro mosque, confirmed to the Swedish newspaper Expressen that the two injured individuals were mosque visitors. He stated that the attack took place right after the Friday prayer service had ended.
Muwaffak also told the outlet that it was unclear whether the attack was personal in nature or directed against the mosque itself. "We do not know if it is personal or against the mosque," he said. The alarm was first raised at 13:45 local time, prompting a large-scale response from police and multiple emergency services who quickly arrived at the scene.
Police are treating the incident with high priority and have launched an investigation into what they are officially classifying as attempted murder.
In a public statement on their website, authorities urged the public, "NOT to approach the scene" and to respect the cordons that have been established.
Lars Hedelin, a press spokesperson for the police, described the event as a "serious violent crime" in comments to broadcaster TV4 News, though he could not provide further details at the present time.
A witness at the scene described the initial confusion and shock of the moment to broadcaster SVT News, saying, "I first thought it was rockets, but no, it was no rockets."
According to TV4 News, at least one person has been transported to the hospital. However, official information on the condition and extent of the injuries sustained by the two victims remains limited.
Karl Olsson, a press officer for Region Örebro, told the news agency TT that the regional healthcare authority could not provide any information on the victims' status and referred all inquiries to the police.
The question of whether Sweden’s Security Police, known as Säpo, will become involved in the investigation remains open, a detail that highlights the potential gravity of the incident.
Gabriel Wernstedt, a press spokesperson for Säpo, told the news agency TT that the police are currently investigating what happened and that the security service's involvement would be a "later question."
