Swedish police arrested 66 children aged 13 or 14 for violent crimes between January and August this year. This marks a sharp increase compared to the same period last year, according to official reports.
The recent shooting in Gävle where six people were injured represents the latest case involving a child suspect. Police identified a 14-year-old boy as the suspected perpetrator in that incident.
Authorities also discovered four suspected offenders aged 7 to 12 years old. Such young suspects were previously very uncommon in Sweden.
Mats Berggren, assistant chief at the National Operations Department, said in a statement that criminal recruitment patterns have changed. "They no longer recruit people to join gangs, but to commit specific crimes," Berggren explained. "Much of this recruitment happens online."
He noted that children rarely receive payment for their criminal activities. "They become disposable commodities for the criminal environment," Berggren added.
The surge in young offenders points to deeper social problems in Sweden. Criminal networks appear to be exploiting legal protections for minors who face lighter penalties under Swedish law.