Six Convicted in Linköping Gang Leader Murder, Including Minor Shooter

Six individuals have been convicted for their involvement in the August 13, 2024, murder of a 41-year-old gang leader in the Berga district of Linköping. The victim was shot on a playground near Berga church, in what the court described as a premeditated, public execution linked to local gang conflict over the drug market. According to the Linköping District Court, two adult men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, while a third man, who was underage at the time, received a sentence of seven years and ten months.

The shooting was carried out by a 14-year-old boy, who confessed to the crime but was not prosecuted due to his age at the time. Despite his young age, he was reportedly enrolled in a program aimed at preventing youth criminality and even called the police after the shooting. Additional accomplices involved in the case received prison sentences ranging from nearly 12 to almost 16 years.

The victim had ties to a local gang and was reportedly attempting to leave his criminal lifestyle through a rehabilitation program. Authorities suggested the murder was orchestrated by members of a rival criminal group seeking to take control of the Berga drug market.

Presiding judge Sakari Alander emphasized the calculated and methodical nature of the crime. Police investigations linked eight individuals to the killing, but only six were convicted, reflecting the complex nature of the gang-affiliated violence behind the murder. The involvement of minors further underlines the ongoing challenges faced by Swedish society in addressing youth participation in gang conflicts and violent crime.