Three people killed after shooting in Sweden

At least three people were murdered in a shooting in Uppsala, Sweden, on Tuesday, according to authorities.

The deaths are being investigated as a homicide, police said, adding that the victims’ next of kin have not yet been notified.

Local media said that the incident occurred at a hair shop near Vaksala Square in the city's center. According to accounts, the shooter escaped on a scooter and is still on the hunt.

Officers have sealed off a huge area, and a murder investigation is ongoing.

The incident happened on the eve of the Walpurgis spring festival, which brings large crowds onto the streets of Uppsala, a city located north of the capital Stockholm, and known for its university.

A major effort is under way to find the shooter, with a police helicopter joining in the search, police spokesman Magnus Jansson Klarin told TV4.

Train services had been stopped in the area to stop the perpetrator using them to get away, Mr Klarin said, but they have now resumed.

Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer stated that his ministry was in frequent communication with police and was actively watching developments in the investigation.

“A brutal act of violence has occurred in central Uppsala …  This is at the same time as the whole of Uppsala has begun Walpurgis Night,” Strommer said in a statement, referring to a traditional holiday celebrated on April 30 in northern Europe and Scandinavia.

“What has happened is extremely serious,” he added.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are unknown, and there is no apparent indication of a motive.

Police did not disclose any information on the accused culprit.

The motivation behind Tuesday's event is unclear. Earlier this year, the European Parliament said that Sweden is “currently battling a wave of gang violence.”

Although Sweden has high rates of gun ownership by EU norms, Swedes must get a license before they may buy a firearm, and the country has severe qualifying requirements.

A shooter opened fire at an adult education facility in Örebro, Sweden, just months ago, in what the country's prime minister dubbed the "worst mass shooting in Swedish history."

In February, ten people were murdered in Orebro in Sweden's bloodiest mass shooting, in which a 35-year-old jobless loner opened fire on pupils and teachers at an adult education center.

Uppsala is Sweden's fourth biggest city, with a population of around 230,000 people.