Sweden shooting: Mother warned social services about Kiwi dad days before daughters shot
The mother of two young girls who were shot in Sweden on the weekend had warned social services just days earlier that their father was behaving aggressively, according to local media.
It’s understood the man was a New Zealand citizen.
The couple’s divorce was reportedly finalised last Thursday, two days before the man allegedly tried to kill his daughters at a villa near the town of Alvesta.
Both girls are in hospital, with at least one suffering life-threatening injuries.
Swedish police said the suspected perpetrator was found dead nearby a short time later. They were treating the incident as double attempted murder and were not looking for anyone else in relation to the shootings.
Police confirmed the man and girls knew each other, but would not comment on their identity as it was an active investigation.
However local media are reporting the alleged shooter was the girls’ father, while the Herald understands the man was from New Zealand.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it was in contact with the family of a New Zealand citizen, but would not comment further for privacy reasons.
In March last year police began looking into allegations that the man had abused his ex-wife, but that investigation closed after one month, Swedish newspaper Smålandsposten reported.
The couple had been married for around 20 years, but had been living apart for more than two years, according to the newspaper.
Their divorce had been finalised last week, despite several attempts by the man to appeal the ruling.
A source told Smålandsposten that social services had held a family meeting last Monday, with the mother voicing concerns about the children’s safety.