An 18-year-old has received a five-year prison sentence for a shooting at the wrong address in a Stockholm suburb. The court also ordered his deportation from Sweden with a permanent ban on returning.
The incident occurred in June at a house in Segeltorp, Huddinge, south of Stockholm. Residents discovered a handwritten note outside their door reading "Dead of Johan" after the shooting. No one in the house knew who Johan was.
Prosecutors argued this was a case of mistaken identity. The teenager faced charges including attempted murder or alternatively aggravated unlawful threats and serious weapons offenses.
Evidence presented included the handwritten note with the defendant's fingerprint and a video found on his phone showing the moment the shot was fired.
Södertörn District Court convicted the 18-year-old despite his denials. He received five years for aggravated unlawful threats and serious weapons crimes.
The court noted it was particularly concerning that his fingerprint was on the threatening note and the gun video was in his phone.
Why wasn't he convicted of attempted murder? The court found no evidence he intended to kill anyone. The shot was fired at a low height, and the note suggested the purpose was intimidation rather than murder.
This case highlights Sweden's ongoing struggle with gang-related violence where mistaken identity shootings have become increasingly common. The harsh sentence and deportation order reflect authorities' tough stance on youth involved in serious crimes.
The defendant's lawyer declined to comment when contacted by media.