A fight between former friends in the Flemingsberg network turned violent on a footbridge in early July 2021. During the altercation, a person was struck in the face with a gun and a shot was fired. The stray bullet hit two small children playing with their father in the residential area of Visättra. The injuries sustained by the children were not life-threatening, but their father revealed during court proceedings that they suffered from psychological trauma. The father also suffered a shoulder injury while fleeing the scene with his children. A man in his mid-20s who had been holding the weapon was acquitted by the district court over a year ago. On Thursday, it was announced that even Svea Hovrätt acquits the man. Two other men were found guilty of aggravated assault, while a fourth person was charged with aggravated weapons offenses. The Court of Appeal could not determine whether the fourth man had a real weapon or a soft air-gun as the weapon was never found. Therefore, he was acquitted of serious weapons offenses.
It was an early July evening in 2021 that a confrontation between former friends in the so-called Flemingsberg network degenerated on a footbridge. During the fight, one person was hit in the face with a gun and a shot went off.
The stray bullet hit two small children who were out playing with their father in the residential area of Visättra. A then 7-year-old girl was hit in the calf and her 6-year-old little brother was shot in the lower leg.
The children’s injuries were not life-threatening but their father told during the proceedings in the district court that they have felt very bad psychologically after the shooting drama. The father himself has had recurring nightmares. He also injured his shoulder when he ran from the scene with his children in his arms.
According to the prosecutor, it was a man in his 25s who was holding the weapon that was accidentally fired. He was acquitted by the district court just over a year ago. According to the court, it could not be ruled out that another person accidentally fired the weapon.
On Thursday it was announced that even Svea Hovrätt acquits the man.
– We cannot say that he had the loaded weapon that went off. It could also be the man who left the country and who, as far as we know, is in Turkey, but it is very unclear. He never had time to be heard, says Court of Appeal counsel Kerstin Elserth.
She emphasizes that the primary question in the case has been who caused the children’s gunshot wounds.
– Everyone wanted to have that question resolved, of course. But we cannot clarify it. We have spoken to the plaintiff’s counsel about the children and they are still unwell. Like the family. It is very sad that they do not get any real clarity, says Kerstin Elserth.
Two other men were convicted in the district court for aggravated assault and a fourth for aggravated weapons offences. They appealed the verdict and wanted the charges against them to be dismissed, alternatively that the sentence be reduced.
The men who were convicted of aggravated assault have claimed that they acted in self-defence. According to the judgment of the Court of Appeal, because they perceived the situation on the footbridge as life-threatening, they had the right to use some force to defend themselves. Therefore, one man is acquitted, but the other continued to use violence and is therefore sentenced for assault.
The Court of Appeal emphasizes that it does not has been able to determine whether the fourth man had a real weapon or a so-called soft air-gun. Therefore, he is acquitted of serious weapons offences.
– Since that weapon has not been found, it is difficult to draw any conclusion as to whether it is genuine, says Kerstin Elserth.
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