Three wounded in suspected gang shooting in Danish town of Holbaek
Three men were injured in a Sunday afternoon shooting in the Agervang housing development in Holbaek, Denmark, in what police believe is gang-related violence. Three suspects have been arrested and charged.
Three wounded in suspected gang shooting in Danish town of Holbaek
Three people were wounded in a shooting on Sunday afternoon in Holbaek, a town of approximately 30,900 residents in northwestern Zealand, Denmark, about 70 kilometres west of Copenhagen. Police believe the incident is linked to a settling of scores within the criminal underworld.
All three victims sustained injuries to the groin, torso, and stomach but are reported to be out of life-threatening danger. The shooting took place at the Agervang housing development around 3:45 pm local time.
According to charges cited by Danish news agency Ritzau, a 23-year-old man exited a white car and fired the shots. Police confirmed that perpetrators were seen fleeing the scene in a white vehicle following the attack.
Three suspects in custody
Authorities have arrested three men aged 22, 23, and 35 in connection with the shooting. The 23-year-old has been charged with attempted murder, while the 22-year-old faces charges as an accessory to attempted murder. All three suspects have been remanded in custody and deny the charges against them.
Police stated they were present at several locations in Holbaek following the incident and have asked members of the public with information to come forward.
Gang violence context
The shooting occurs against a backdrop of ongoing gang-related violence in Denmark, though such incidents have declined in recent years. Danish police statistics show the country recorded 21 gang-related shootings in 2023, down significantly from a peak of 87 in 2017.
Police estimate that over a thousand people are affiliated with criminal gangs in Denmark, primarily concentrated in urban areas. Violent clashes including shootings and stabbings between rival groups continue to threaten public safety in Danish cities, despite government efforts to combat organized crime.
Denmark has enacted four policy strategies known as gang packages that provided police with additional investigation resources, facilitated easier conviction, and imposed harsher penalties, residence bans, and contact bans for gang-related crime.
The incident is particularly notable given Denmark's strict gun control laws, which are among the most stringent in Europe. Civilians are not permitted to acquire, possess, carry or use firearms without a police permit, and gun ownership requires demonstrating a genuine reason such as hunting or target shooting.
Despite the recent shooting, Denmark's overall homicide rates have remained stable over the past decade, ranging between 45 and 55 cases per year between 2016 and 2025, while attempted homicides have declined during the same period.
