Ikea stabbing suspect confesses to two murders
Xinhua, August 14, 2015 Adjust font size:
A 36-year-old man on Thursday confessed to murdering two people at an Ikea shopping center in central Sweden.
The Eritrean man, who faced deportation to Italy at the time of the act, will face trial within two weeks, public broadcaster Swedish Television reported.
A 23-year-old man suspected of abetting him was released from custody.
"The 36-year-old wanted to go out shopping and my client went with him. He had no idea this would happen and this was as shocking to him as everybody else," Maria Wilhelmsson, the younger suspect's lawyer, said during the court hearing, according to daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.
According to video footage viewed by the tabloid newspaper Aftonbladet, the 36-year-old grabbed two Ikea knives before stabbing a 55-year-old woman and her 27-year-old son. He then cut himself in the stomach, the paper reported.
Police declined to comment on details but had previously said they uncovered knives inside the store. The 36-year-old suspect remains hospitalized.
The suspects had been staying at the same asylum housing center west of Vasteras prior to the incident. Endit