Three men, all in their twenties, have been sentenced to significant prison terms for their roles in the murder of famed hip-hop artist C Gambino, whose real name was Karar Ramadan. The incident occurred in a parking garage in Gothenburg in June 2024, just a month after C Gambino was honored as Sweden's hip-hop artist of the year during the Grammis music awards. Prosecutors have characterized the shooting as a premeditated act, describing it as ruthless in nature.
The court in Gothenburg convicted the trio of aiding and abetting murder, although two of them were acquitted of the murder charge due to insufficient evidence to determine which individual fired the fatal shots. The weapon used to kill C Gambino remains undiscovered, and the vehicle involved in the shooting was later found torched.
Authorities have linked C Gambino's homicide to an ongoing gang conflict in the local area, but his connections to any criminal network remain unproven. The shooting is part of a troubling trend in Sweden's largest cities, where gang-related violence has surged in recent years, often implicating minors in these violent crimes.
C Gambino was just 26 years old when he was shot inside a multi-story car park while returning home from the gym. Court proceedings unveiled that the attack had been meticulously planned, indicating a "pure execution" devoid of random chance. Investigators were unable to recover DNA evidence from the scene but utilized mobile phone data to track the suspects’ activities around the time of the incident. CCTV footage revealed the perpetrators' vehicle loitering in the parking facility for hours prior to the attack.
Emergency services faced communication issues upon arrival, as they were unable to utilize their radios and had to relay instructions vocally. Despite his attempts to signal for help, C Gambino succumbed to his injuries about an hour after the shooting.
In the sentencing, a 22-year-old was given a life sentence, while two others received 15.5 years and 12.5 years, respectively. A fourth individual, aged 19, faced charges for arson related to the burning of the getaway vehicle.
In a separate gang-related case, a 14-year-old boy was convicted of carrying out a murder on behalf of one of Sweden’s notorious gangs, highlighting the alarming involvement of youth in such violent activities. New developments include police apprehending a significant figure linked to gang leader Rawa Majid in Iraqi Kurdistan, deepening concerns over the rising tide of gang violence in Sweden.
