The police have cordoned off an area encompassing at least a dozen residences in the barracks area at Solbacken.
According to information Norran received, a man in his 40s was found dead. Initially, a preliminary investigation was opened into aggravated assault. Later, the classification was changed to suspected murder.
–The victim is a foreign national, says police spokesperson, Elin Andersson.
"A preliminary homicide investigation has been opened because a crime cannot be ruled out and the circumstances of the death are unclear. There are no suspects at this time," police said on their website.
The investigation is ongoing, and a crime scene examination has been conducted.
Update 10.10:
The suspected murder took place in the barracks at Solbacken. The police have cordoned off an area encompassing about a dozen houses in the barracks area.
The police have confirmed that the deceased is a foreigner. According to information given to Norran, the person is from a European country.
A resident of the area says that he was awakened by the police in the middle of the night.
– I was very shocked. They knocked on my door and told me there was a dead person in an apartment. I thought, 'What the hell,'" the neighbor said.
He went back to sleep and woke up to a police cordon outside.
– It's horrible that this happened.
Another person in the area reports:
– It's very terrible that this has happened. It's usually quiet here. It's so terrible to go to another country to work and never come back."
The move-in to the barracks area at Solbacken began last autumn. When fully built, the area is intended to accommodate 1,200 temporary residences.
Update 10.10:
Northvolt has been informed of the incident.
Sanna Bäckström, communicator at Northvolt, says:
– It is a person who is employed by another company, but who works on the factory premises.
How are you dealing with the situation?
– It's not something I can comment on at this stage. We refer everything to the police at this point.
Update: Tues, 09:40
Elisabeth Glaas, communicator at the police:
– At this point, it is unclear how the man died, whether it was a crime or an accident/illness. In this case, the circumstances are such that a crime cannot be ruled out.
– For this reason, it is assumed that the man's death was the result of a crime, and a preliminary investigation has been launched. Now, the police have to find out what happened through various investigative measures, and the forensic examination will be decisive, she adds.
She emphasizes that it is still early in the preliminary investigation and that the police are working broadly and without prejudice or conditions.
– The initial investigation is still ongoing. The police are withholding details in order to conduct a legal investigation.
When a death case becomes a criminal investigation, it gives the police the opportunity to use a variety of investigative measures to look into the death. It is sometimes said that it gives the police a chance to "open the toolbox" for further police work.
So the police establish a wide-ranging classification in order not to miss important initial investigative measures?
– Yes, the police can decide on different types of coercive measures, such as seizures, house searches, etc., based on the suspicion of a crime. In this case, we have found a deceased person under circumstances in which we cannot rule out a crime, responds Elisabeth Glaas.
The police are looking for witnesses in the area on the day in question.