Sweden recorded lowest number of homicides in a decade in 2024

By Johan Ahlander

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's homicide and manslaughter rate dropped sharply last year as increased surveillance lessened gang crime that had pushed gun-related deaths to the highest level in the European Union.

There were 92 cases of deadly violence in Sweden in 2024, 29 fewer than in 2023, and the lowest number since 2014, when 87 people were killed, statistics from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (BRA) showed on Monday.

BRA said that it was a substantial decrease but added that year-on-year changes should be interpreted with caution.

"When comparing years, it should be borne in mind that 2023 stood out as a year when unusually many women and minors fell victim to deadly violence compared to previous years," BRA said in a statement.

Gun violence remained the most common cause of violent death and claimed 45 lives in 2024, eight fewer than in 2023. Sweden, which has suffered from a wave of gang-related violence for more than a decade, had 2.5 times more gun deaths than the EU average in 2023.

Police have attributed the decrease to new powers including increased electronic eavesdropping and more surveillance cameras.

Sweden's right-wing minority government came to power in 2022 on a promise to fix gang-related violence. It has tightened laws and given more powers to police.

While deaths have come down, Sweden's gang crime problem is far from resolved and the capital was hit by an unprecedented spate of gang-related bombings in January.

(Reporting by Johan Ahlander; editing by Niklas Pollard and Philippa Fletcher)