Sweden: Racist murderer of immigrants gets life in prison

The racist assailant who terrorized the inhabitants of the southern Swedish town of Malmö for two years has been sentenced to life in prison. Peter Mangs (age 40) shot at dark-skinned immigrants and long evaded police despite an intensive manhunt for him. Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports that he was arrested in 2010 and has now been sentenced on two counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, and three counts of assault. The court also ruled that Mangs must pay the families of his victims compensation in the amount of 1.2 million Swedish crowns.

Mangs was found guilty this past July, but his sentencing was postponed until a psychiatric evaluation could be completed. He was eventually found to have been responsible for his actions. It is not yet clear whether he will appeal.

Mangs kept police busy during 2009 and 2010. He used large-caliber weapons, especially during the evening hours, and mainly chose immigrants as his targets. In 2009, for example, he set a car on fire in which a 20-year-old Swedish woman was sitting with a dark-skinned passenger. The girl died and the man was seriously injured. His other attacks were committed from behind on his victims, such as people waiting at bus stops. He also fired at female students as they walked home, through the windows of immigrant-owned shops, and into immigrants’ apartments.The prosecution also attributed a murder committed in 2003 to him.

The crimes prompted great fear at the time in Malmö. First and second-generation immigrants comprise 40 % of Sweden’s third-largest town (population 300 000).

The Swedish media have compared this case to one of a racist shooter who terrorized immigrants in Stockholm at the start of the 1990s. That man was arrested after one year and is now serving a life sentence for murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. Mangs has also been compared to the Norwegian extremist Anders Breivik because of his hatred of immigrants and love of weapons.