14-Year-Old Boy Arrested After Multiple People Shot in Busy City Center

At least six people were rushed to the hospital after being struck by gunfire during a shooting at a busy city center.

Shortly before 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 4, police received reports of gunfire on a street lined with shops and restaurants in central Gävle, Sweden, local news outlets Aftonbladet, Sydvenskan and Goteborgs-Posten reported.

Authorities arrived at the scene to discover six people had been shot, according to the outlets. 

No one sustained life-threatening injuries, but minors were among those injured, Goteborgs-Posten reported, citing police spokesperson Tobias Ahlén-Svalbro.

Multiple people hid in a nearby pub during the shooting, according to Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter. 

Shariar Rad, who runs the restaurant Ölstugan Tullen, told the outlet that he had left work after 1 a.m., but his colleagues called him back shortly after the incident to help those who were injured.

“It felt almost chaotic, but I was allowed to go past the barriers, although not into my workplace, and my staff was sitting out on the street,” Rad said, per Dagens Nyheter. “Our guard had let two or three injured people in who were being bandaged up inside. It was nice to see that we were able to take care of the injured before the ambulances arrived at the scene, to be reminded of the fine human side as well.”

All six people found injured were hospitalized, Aftonbladet reported, citing police spokesperson Ahlén-Svalbro.

A 14-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the incident, which is being investigated as an attempted murder, according to the outlet. Authorities have said that it is too early to determine any motive. 

As of 8 a.m. local time, the area where the shooting took place was still cordoned off as the police continue their investigation, per Aftonbladet. They are urging the public to contact them with any tips.

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Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer described the shooting as “extreme recklessness” in a translated statement posted on Facebook.

“The night’s severe act of violence in Gävle is characterized by extreme recklessness. My heart goes out to all those affected,” Strömmer said. “Crime victims, relatives and all people in Gävle who today wake up to dark headlines and feel worry and fear of the violence and what it does to our society.

“The incident is another dark example that the capital of violence among criminals remains large and that the risks of new violence are constantly bubbling below the surface,” he continued. “If it is true that the person holding the weapon is a child under 15 years old, it is another nightmare example of how the violence has shrinked further down in the ages. It remains to be seen what circumstances are behind.”

Strömmer reassured that the police are “doing everything they can” to investigate the situation while in contact with the Ministry of Justice. 

“This also shows how important it is that we continue the comprehensive reshuffle of policies to push back severe violence and restore safety in society,” he said.

The Swedish Security Service did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Oct. 4.