Stockholm: In what is being treated as an investigation into involuntary manslaughter, police in Sweden are probing a tragic crash in which a city bus rammed into a crowded bus stop in central Stockholm.
The incident occurred at approximately 15:23 local time (14:23 GMT) on the busy Valhallavägen street in the Östermalm district of the Swedish capital. A double-decker bus suddenly mounted the pavement and collided with a shelter where people were waiting.
A spokesperson for the police, Nadya Norton, confirmed that the driver has been detained and a manslaughter inquiry has been opened “as a matter of routine”. It is not yet clear what triggered the crash or whether mechanical failure, human error or a combination of factors is to blame.
At the time of the collision, authorities say the bus was not in regular passenger service and had no passengers on board. Local media footage shows rescue crews working at the scene, aiding people trapped underneath the vehicle and tending to injured bystanders. Some witnesses reported that the bus “mowed down an entire bus stop queue”.
One shop-owner nearby told Swedish broadcaster SVT that several distressed people sought refuge in his store, while another witness spoke to the newspaper Expressen about the horror of bodies lying on the pavement and others screaming for help.
Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, expressed his condolences for the victims and their families: “People who might have been on their way home to family, friends, or a quiet evening at home. We do not yet know the cause, but right now my thoughts are primarily with those affected and their loved ones.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with efforts now focused on determining what caused the bus to lose control and crash into the shelter. Details such as the number, age, and gender of the victims have not yet been released.
Authorities stressed that the classification of the case under involuntary manslaughter reflects the seriousness of the incident rather than a conclusive finding of the driver’s intent or culpability.
