The man's weapon was first seized in Härnösand in April this year, reports P4 Västernorrland. He had then fired a weapon several times in his home and shot himself in the leg. At the same time, he threatened to take his life and shoot three police officers. Two other people were in the residence during the intervention of the police's special forces.
The police considered shooting to kill but were able to disarm the man with the help of distraction grenades.
"Could certainly have done more"
Months before, the man had visited a psychiatric emergency department several times with, among other things, suicidal thoughts and had been prescribed antipsychotic medication. According to both the firearms law and the region's routines, this should lead to a report of unsuitability to possess firearms – which did not happen.
Always when we do such investigations in a follow-up, you see that we could have followed up more closely, or in this case possibly could have sent a notification for firearms – we could certainly have done more, says Zeb Freij, acting chief physician in psychiatry at Sundsvall Hospital, to the radio channel.
According to Mathias Rutegård, at the police's national media center, it is "not entirely unusual" for the police to notice that doctors have not reported patients who are unsuitable as firearms holders.
It's not many cases where we see that a person has completely gone under the radar where no one has reported, and it becomes this kind of major consequence. But every single case where it happens is serious, and where one afterwards sees that it could have been avoided if the Police Authority had been informed, he says to TT.
Others can warn
He points out that even the general public, such as relatives and neighbors, can contact the police if they fear that someone is unsuitable.
This often happens, especially when a firearms holder has reached an age where they may have become demented.
Mats Gidlund, acting area director for psychiatry and rehabilitation at Region Västernorrland, tells TT that in general, assessments are made about suitability during patient visits in psychiatry. It requires "good knowledge" of the patient and the person's psychiatric condition, and may require several visits.
"Patients can also deteriorate in their well-being between visits to psychiatric emergency and outpatient care, which complicates the assessments," he says in a written comment.
