The court sees no evidence that the shooting in the open street was an attempt to kill. The wrong man was injured.
The article was updated at 3:24 PM with more details about the verdict.
A visiting Swedish boy has been found guilty of firing seven shots at a man on a street in Kolding last summer. The victim was hit in the legs by three shots. On Wednesday, the Kolding Court sentenced the Swede to five years and six months in prison. A Danish accomplice was sentenced to six years. The Swede was 17 years old when he traveled to Denmark with the sole purpose of carrying out the shooting, the court ruled.
The jury has acquitted both of the charges of attempting to kill the man. Instead, they are guilty of aggravated assault and possession of a gun, the court said.
The shots were fired on the morning of July 31st on Vejrupsgade. The distance was 5-10 meters. All shots were fired in a downward direction towards the man, who was standing upright before he fell to the ground. However, he was not the intended victim.
Information found on the then 17-year-old Swede’s phone showed that he and the Danish helper had planned to hit a man who had a tattoo on his hand. The injured man did not.
Gun found with DNA evidence
The case is one of more than 20 cases in which young Swedes have been hired to carry out dangerous attacks on Danish soil. Both the Swede and his Danish partner of 28 years have pleaded not guilty.
In the attic of an apartment that the Dane had rented via Airbnb in Kolding, the police found a gun with DNA evidence. There was also matching DNA evidence on cans that were also in the apartment. Both men fled from Vejrupsgade on electric bicycles.
A minority of the jury has been convinced that it was an attempted murder. But the majority has a different assessment.
The 28-year-old has chosen to accept the verdict. However, the young Swede is considering whether to appeal to the Western High Court. The prosecution also has the option to appeal.
ritzau
