A 13-year-old boy was arrested by Swedish police after he allegedly shot at the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems office in Gothenburg, Sweden, early Thursday morning, according to Swedish media reports.
While no one was injured in the shooting, the authorities are treating it as a serious offense.
The boy, whose identity has not been released due to his age, was detained shortly after the shooting occurred around 9:30 a.m. local time. Police have launched an investigation into possible charges of attempted murder and aggravated weapons violations.
A large-scale police operation is ongoing in the Kallebäck area, where the company is located.
“Thankfully, no one was physically harmed,” said August Brandt, a spokesperson for the Gothenburg police. “We are looking into all possible motives, and the investigation is underway.”
Following the shooting, another emergency call reported a suspicious object at the scene. The National Bomb Squad was dispatched, and the item, a bag, was later determined to be harmless.
Elbit Systems, a subsidiary of the Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems Ltd., has previously been targeted in acts of vandalism and attempted violence in Sweden.
In June of this year, an explosive device was found near the company’s location in Gothenburg, prompting another bomb squad intervention.
The company has also faced politically motivated graffiti, including messages such as “Weapons kill children” and “Shut it down,” which were spray-painted on the building in December 2023.
The recent incidents come amid heightened security measures at Israeli and Jewish sites across Sweden that have been in place since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza.