Source: Dan Lyman

A series of shootings in Stockholm have unfolded as a local official warns the Swedish capital region is facing an existential crisis of violence and gang warfare, according to reports.

At least six shootings have taken taken place across the city since Sunday, including four within a span of seven hours.

One man was killed and another critically wounded – both were reportedly known members of a Rinkeby-based gang – during an explosive Sunday night which required substantial police resources to mitigate.

“We do not suspect that all the events have connections to each other, but we definitely suspect that there may be a connection between some of the shootings,” a police spokesman told Aftonbladet.

“It is an exceptional situation.”

Two more shootings took place the following night, leaving one man wounded.

On Monday, Aftonbladet published an op-ed by Finance Region Councilor Irene Svenonius who warned the situation in Stockholm is dire.

“Gang violence in Stockholm has escalated to levels that now threaten the entire region’s future. The past summer has been extremely violent and if nothing is done, Stockholm will face a dark future,” she wrote.

“Sweden’s capital region is no longer recognizable.”

At least 16 people were killed and many others wounded, including children, in more than 70 shootings during the first seven months of this year in Stockholm.

“Sweden and the Stockholm region have ended up in a situation that requires extremely tough and demanding measures, because gang violence has reached such levels that the very social contract and trust between people is threatened,” Svenonius asserted.

“The Stockholm Region does not intend to quietly look on when Stockholmers’ safety is threatened and we expect the government to act to make the Stockholm area safe again. Gang violence is currently the biggest threat to the Stockholm region’s future.”

Svenonius has called for a meeting with federal officials to determine “how we can jointly secure our capital region.”