Sweden: 15-Year-Old Syrian Charged With Shooting Classmate in Head

A 15-year-old Syrian boy is on trial in Sweden for allegedly shooting his classmate in the head in a school bathroom. The victim miraculously survived. The below article in Samnyyt is translated by Fousesquawk.

Domestic

Shot classmate in the head-police supposedly bribed so that he would remain free

Posted January 16, 2025

On Thursday, the trial began against 15-year-old Ali Salum. The indictment concerns an incident in September last year when a classmate of the same age was shot in a school bathroom in a Trångsund (municipality) school in Huddinge.

According to the court's main schedule, the trial will last until January 22. Altogether, it will be three court days.

"A reckless shot"

Ali Salum is charged with preparing to commit murder, aggravated weapons offense, and attempted murder. The classmate was shot in the head, and the bullet went through his nose and lodged in his neck. Despite that, the classmate survived.

Under police interrogation, Ali Salum initially denied that it was he who fired the shot. Instead, he claimed that it was the friend who was suicidal and shot himself with the pistol. 

Caption: Ali Salum. From police preliminary investigative file.

"He wanted to commit suicide since before," claims the 15-year-old. 

Pressed in a later interrogation, he seems to have changed his story. He doesn't remember anymore who held the weapon.

"It was a reckess shot," says Ali Salum instead.

"He kind of did it on purpose."

The 15-year-old who was shot strongly rejects all claims that he was suicidal.

"That is a pure lie!" he burst out in an interview and even waved away the explanation that it was a reckless shot.

"He kind of pointed it at (my) mouth and then (my) head. So he kind of did it on purpose."

Caption: Ali Salum is charged for attempted murder among others: Photo: Police

There are also suspicions in the investigation that Ali Salum shot the wrong person although it is not clear who the real target in such case would be.

On the other hand, it is suspected that another perpetrator, a 14-year-old boy, was involved in giving the order. Since 14-year-olds are not criminally liable, he cannot be charged, but he has been questioned by police and disputes the accusations.

"Do you believe that a 14-year-old has the brain to be able to plan?" he asks in police interrogation.

"Beachball"

Under police interrogation, Ali Salum claims that he was also assigned to "blow up" a gate, and according to other information from the investigation, he reportedly was assigned to shoot at an apartment door.

The 15-year-old claims that the criminal network that gave him the assignment to carry out the act paid off the police so that he wouldn't be caught.

Caption: Bullet lodged in schoolmate's neck. Photo: Police preliminary investigation. 

"And if they later caught me, I would shout out,'Beachball'. Or 'Swim place'. But they would let me go," he claims and points out later:

"They are not very good police."

Ali Salum was born in Aleppo in Syria. He came to Sweden together with his family during the fall 2015 migrant crisis. He is a Swedish citizen since 2019.