Sweden moves to tighten gun laws after Örebro mass shooting

Sweden is set to introduce stricter gun laws after the tragic mass shooting that took place in Örebro on Tuesday and left 11 people dead, an attack already described as the worst mass shooting in the nation's history.

Although new regulations were already in the works, the tragedy has prompted the government to fast-track measures aimed at making it harder to obtain firearms. According to reports, the expected changes will likely impose tougher licensing requirements, considering an applicant's age, weapons expertise, criminal background, and medical history.

Additionally, authorities are pushing to severely limit access to semiautomatic rifles, particularly AR-15-style models, which have been available for hunting since 2023. According to government officials, law enforcement and medical professionals may soon have expanded powers to evaluate gun license applicants and even revoke permits more efficiently.

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• Several nationalities among the victims of the Örebro mass shooting.

Sweden, which generally restricts gun ownership to hunters and sports shooters, has seen a troubling rise in firearm-related violence, largely attributed to weapons smuggled from Eastern Europe and Turkey. With police statistics showing a peak of 391 shootings in 2022, authorities are determined to act as soon as possible. For now, it remains to be seen how swiftly these reforms will take shape and whether they will effectively curb rising gun violence.