STOCKHOLM, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Five people were wounded in a shooting on Monday evening near a court house and the police headquarters in the city center of Malmo, southern Sweden.
According to the police, the five wounded men were all brought to hospital after the shooting, their identities had still not been confirmed and there was no known culprit, Swedish Television reported on Monday.
"There are wounded people who have been brought to hospital by ambulance and some who have gone there in private vehicles. We cannot comment further on their situation," said Fredrik Bratt, a police press spokesperson.
Local newspaper Sydsvenskan reported that the incident was a drive-by shooting and took place outside an internet cafe. All five wounded men stood on the pavement outside the internet cafe when an automatic weapon was fired at them from a car.Sydsvenskan reported that three of the five are seriously wounded.
The shooting took place in a busy area early in the evening. One witness told Sydsvenskan: "We were having coffee on the square and heard the shooting, but it sounded more like thunder."
Another woman who lives in the area, said: "I was standing near the fire station when I heard five gun shots. Then the police came and cordoned off the area. I saw the ambulance, they picked someone up."
Security around the hospital was tightened on Monday evening, where the ER department was cordoned off. Both police and emergency rescue personnel were at the scene, where, according to media reports, there were bullet casings strewn on the ground.
Swedish TT news agency on Monday quoted police source in Malmo as saying that the shooting, at Drottninggatan in central Malmo, was not terrorism-related, and there was no cause for the public to be alarmed.
"We have sealed off the area and are conducting interviews and will interview those who are injured if they can or are willing to speak," Stephan Soderholm, spokesman for the police was quoted by TT as saying.
The police have secured the site as a suspected crime scene and had blocked the area. Further investigation is ongoing.
