VIOLENT MASS SHOOTINGS IN SWEDEN FROM 1960 TO 1995 - PROFILES, PATTERNS, AND MOTIVES

During the past few decades, violent mass shooting in Sweden has incre ased rapidly. In the 36 years between 1960 and 1995, fourteen such occ asions were recorded, during which 32 people were killed and 57 were w ounded. The 14 offenders were men between the ages of 17 and 61 years. In the 20 years from 1960 to 1979, five shootings were committed by f ive offenders, leaving 10 dead and 13 wounded; in the 16 years between 1980 and 1995, there were nine different shootings committed by nine offenders, with 22 dead and 44 wounded. Seven of the shootings were cl assified as mass shootings, six as spree shootings, and one as a seria l shooting. In all but four of these cases, the firearms used were ill egal weapons. The four legal firearms belonged to an unemployed young laborer, an officer, a former United Nations (U.N.) soldier, and a mem ber of the Swedish military volunteer corps. Of those killed, 68.8% we re strangers to the offender; among the wounded, the corresponding fig ure was 89.5%. Profiles of the offenders and of the victims were studi ed. The psychiatric diagnoses among the offenders and the measures tak en to prevent the increase in mass shooting in Sweden are presented.