Security guard killed at Swedish PM's home

A security guard at the Swedish prime minister's residence was killed Friday in what appeared to be a self-inflicted shooting, police and Swedish media said. The prime minister was not in the building.            

Police wouldn't immediately reveal how the man was killed, saying they wanted to inform his next of kin first. Tabloid Expressen said the victim died after shooting himself, but didn't cite any sources.           

Markus Friberg, a spokesman for Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, confirmed to the AP that the prime minister was not in the building when the shooting happened. Tabloid Aftonbladet said Reinfeldt was visiting the paper's office in Stockholm.        

"I can say nothing happened to the prime minister. He was not harmed," Stockholm police spokesman Lars Bystrom told The Associated Press. "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 waterfront home and office of the prime minister. 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 Sirpa Franzen, a spokeswoman for the agency. "At present there is no indication that the incident has any link to the Parliament or government."        


AP