A man who ignited violent protests by burning the Quran has been shot and killed in Sweden, according to local media reports.
Salwan Momika, 38, was reportedly found dead in an apartment in Södertälje, Stockholm, on Wednesday night. His actions in 2023, when he burned a copy of the Quran outside Stockholm’s Central Mosque, led to widespread unrest.
Stockholm police confirmed that five individuals were arrested following the fatal shooting of a man in his 40s. Authorities responded to reports of gunfire at an apartment in Hovsjö around 11:11 p.m. local time. The victim, found with gunshot wounds, was taken to the hospital but later died.
Local media reported that Momika was livestreaming on social media near the time of the shooting. He had faced legal action in Sweden, charged in August with “agitation against an ethnic group” for multiple incidents during the summer of 2023. A court was scheduled to deliver a verdict on Thursday but postponed it after confirming his death.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said security agencies were involved in the investigation due to potential foreign connections. Momika’s protests had sparked anger in Muslim-majority nations, leading to diplomatic tensions, including the expulsion of Sweden’s ambassador from Iraq.