Guard shot at Swedish prime minister’s home

Local police would not immediately reveal how the man was killed, saying they wanted to inform his next of kin first.

However the Tabloid Expressen newspaper said he died after shooting himself.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, confirmed that the prime minister was not in the building when the shooting happened.

Another paper, the Tabloid Aftonbladet, said Mr Reinfeldt had been visiting the paper’s office in Stockholm at the time.

A police spokesman added: “I can say nothing happened to the prime minister. He was not harmed. And it wasn’t one of his bodyguards but some security guard. We do not suspect any crime.”

The incident occurred in the early afternoon at the Sagerska Palace, the prime minister’s waterfront home and office. The building is protected by security guards working for a private company. The prime minister also has bodyguards from the Swedish Security Service.

“This doesn’t involve an employee at the Swedish Security Service,” said an agency spokeswoman yesterday. “At present there is no indication that the incident has any link to the Parliament or government.