Two British citizens have been found shot dead in a burnt-out car in Sweden in a horrific case that police are now investigating as a double murder.
The bodies were recovered after firefighters were called to the scene of a fire on a dirt road at the Fosie industrial estate in the coastal city of Malmö on Sunday.
The victims are believed to have rented a car at Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport before being found in the nearby Swedish city across the border.
They are believed to have been shot before the car was set on fire, local media reported.
The identities of the deceased have not yet been shared, but police officials say “They have an idea of who they are.”
As they begin their search, detaining several people for questioning, authorities now fear there could be more violence, according to local media, as they refuse to rule out a connection to gang violence.
Two Britons were shot dead in a rental car and then set on fire in Sweden after renting the vehicle in Denmark. Footage shows forensic officers investigating the scene
Officers can be seen moving plastic bags from inside the car at the scene.
Forensic teams are working to confirm the identities of the Britons found in Sweden
Authorities are reportedly working with Interpol in their investigation into the horror.
The bodies will be forensically examined this week as police seek to confirm identities and notify next of kin.
Rickard Lundqvist, a press spokesman for the Southern Police Region, confirmed the investigation on Sunday but said there were no suspects at this time.
Police only identified the victims as not Danish “as the car was registered in Denmark.”
Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet reported that the victims were British.
Police confirmed they are now working with foreign police on the case.
They are now appealing for clues about the burned-out car as they try to piece together what happened.
‘We’re interested in talking to people who have seen the car.
“It is a black Toyota RAV4 with Danish registration plates,” said Kerstin Gossé, a spokeswoman for Swedish police.
They are now asking anyone who saw the car between 11.30am and 2pm on Sunday 14 July to contact us.
“We are working hard with various measures in this investigation to bring clarity to this,” he said.
The vehicle has already been seized and several people will soon be questioned, they confirmed.
“We can’t go into any details about the individuals involved or the circumstances in general,” Rickard Lundqvist said.
The scene is still cordoned off and an investigation into the case is underway, according to local media.
The victims were last seen passing through the Öresund Bridge toll station on Sunday afternoon.
Police now reportedly fear further violence could follow, according to Afton Leaf.
But Gossé said he had heard nothing internally to that effect.
Police declined to say whether the apparent attack was related to gang violence.
“We have to keep everything open. It’s not something I can speculate about at this early stage of the investigation,” Gossé said.
“So far we are holding firm and restrained so that the preliminary investigation can continue its course,” he added.
Police are yet to confirm whether the terror attack was part of gang violence.
Authorities will work together to determine the identity of the victims this week.
The car has already been seized and police plan to question several people.
A truck is seen transporting the burnt car which appears to have been wrapped in a plastic sheet.
Firefighters arrived at the scene of the fire in Malmö and found bodies already riddled with bullets.
The number of reported murders in Sweden increased by 39 percent between 2013 and 2021.
Sixty people have been shot dead in Sweden in 2022, following the pandemic, marking a tragic record in modern times, the government said in late December.
Malmö, the country’s third-largest city with a population of about 300,000, had the fourth-highest count behind Stockholm, Gothenburg and Västerås.
The UK government continues to issue Tips for travels to europe About traveling to Sweden.
“Violent crime does occur. In Malmö, Stockholm and Gothenburg there have been reports of gang crime, including knife crime, shootings and explosions,” the statement said.
