UPDATE: Five people are now reported dead.
Multiple news sources are reporting that someone drove a truck into a crowded shopping center in Drottinggatan, a downtown shopping district in Stockholm, Sweden this morning. The Guardian reports that police are treating the attack as an act of terrorism, and are warning people to avoid the area. Swedish news organizations are reporting that shots were fired at the scene, and that at least three people have been reported as dead.
Video (such as the above) have been posted on social media showing scenes of the attack.
Sweden has been in the news lately because of repeated incidents involving terrorism and violence in its communities of immigrants, many of whom are from majority-Muslim countries. In February, President Trump caused a flap when he referenced such ongoing problems in Sweden.
The use of automobiles and trucks has become a popular tactic for terrorists attempting to inflict large civilian casualties, with the attacker typically jumping out of the vehicle afterward and attacking bystanders with a knife, gun, or other weapon. This will have been the seventh such attack in a major western country in the past year, the others being:
Antwerp, Belgium on March 23, 2017;
London, England on March 22, 2017;
Jerusalem, Israel, on January 8, 2017;
Berlin, Germany, on December 19, 2016;
Columbus, Ohio, on November 28, 2016; and
Nice, France, on July 14, 2016.
Drawing on his experiences serving as a soldier in Afghanistan, Jon Wayne Taylor talked about how to stop these kinds of attacks back in December. His advice?
Shoot the driver. Keep shooting the driver. When the vehicle is at rest, keep on shooting the driver until the driver is also at rest.
The Scandinavian nation has severe legislative restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms some of which would likely be deemed unconstitutional under the American Bill of Rights. Civilians are generally barred from bearing arms without specific approval from the government, and citizens must obtain a license from the police just to own firearms in the first place.
According to the Wikipedia, there is apparently a provision for carrying a concealed handgun for personal protection, but this can only be obtained after a proven and “real” threat to one’s life. Does this qualify?