The killer was only 14 and had lived in youth homes as a ward of the authorities since he was eight.
A year ago, a gang helped the boy escape, put him up in a hotel and gave him cannabis, food and new clothes. Six days later, gang members told him it was time to repay them for their kindness. They had a job for him.
Together with another youth, the boy, who as a juvenile cannot be identified, shot dead a 33-year-old Hells Angels biker. He was convicted by a court which described the case as a gangland contract killing.
As he was too young to be sentenced, he was handed back to social services and sent to another youth home.
Sweden has long prided itself on one of the world’s most generous social safety nets, with a state that looks after vulnerable people at all stages of life.
But these days it also has another distinction: by far the highest per capita rate of gun violence in the EU. Last year 55 people were shot dead in 363 separate shootings in a country of just 10 million people. By comparison, there were just six fatal shootings in the three other Nordic countries - Norway, Finland and Denmark - combined.
You really can’t see how a child can fall through the cracks of a fucked government care system and fall in with people who would take advantage of them?
Just warn all the kids off strangers, no way some won’t hear it, ignore it, or literally do the opposite of what they’re told for stupid childish reasons.
Brilliant thinking my friend, lets just tell all our kids not to get kidnapped, human trafficking, solved!
And before you get semantic on me, manipulating a child into coming with you against their own interests even as it is then not taking them against their will, is still kidnapping.