Record Rise in Children Under 15 Suspected of Murder Plans in Sweden Amid Gang Crime Challenges
Sweden faces a record increase in children under 15 suspected of murder plans amid persistent gang crime challenges and evolving law enforcement strategies under the Tidö Agreement.
- • Record 127 children under 15 suspected in murder plans in 2023, a sharp rise from 14 in 2022.
- • Shootings and firearm deaths have significantly decreased between 2022 and 2025.
- • The Tidö Agreement has led to tougher penalties and increased resources against gang crime.
- • Gang member estimates remain high at 14,000 active criminals, with concerns about youth recruitment.
- • Police improvements in covert surveillance credited with preventing violent acts, though challenges persist.
Key details
Sweden is witnessing an alarming surge in the number of children under 15 suspected of involvement in murder plans, reaching a record 127 cases in 2023, up from just 14 in 2022. This sharp increase reflects the troubling trend of gangs recruiting younger individuals, often leveraging social media platforms to enlist even children as young as under 15 years old. The government’s ongoing efforts to combat gang crime are framed within the Tidö Agreement between the ruling coalition and the Sweden Democrats (SD), which has tightened penalties and bolstered judicial and law enforcement resources over the past three years.
Despite these measures, the overall gang crime landscape remains complex. While there has been a significant reduction in shootings—from 314 incidents in the first nine months of 2022 to 113 in the same period of 2025—and firearm-related deaths dropping from 49 to 26, other forms of violence such as bombings and arson attacks have increased, although these rarely cause fatalities. Police credit their enhanced ability to covertly surveil criminal environments as a key factor in preventing violent acts and achieving higher resolution rates for fatal shootings.
The scale of gang activity remains extensive, with estimates indicating approximately 14,000 active gang criminals and an additional 48,000 individuals with gang connections in Sweden, figures expected to rise in future reports. Authorities have made record arrests, including apprehending 183 gang members operating from abroad this year.
Key voices in the debate include Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, who asserts that while crime has evolved, it has not worsened, and criminologist Manne Gerell, who views the situation as improved due to declines in fatal violence, largely attributing progress to increased police resources. Both, however, acknowledge the persistent high levels of gang violence and the ongoing risk of cyclical violence, especially as many young offenders may soon return to street environments.
This emerging crisis underscores the difficulty in suppressing organized crime despite policy efforts and highlights the urgent need to address the radical recruitment of minors into Sweden’s gang networks.