‘Talented and caring’ British father killed in Swedish terror attack
Police holding five more people over truck horror
A BRITISH father who was killed in the Stockholm terror attack has been described as a “talented, compassionate and caring” person.
Chris Bevington, 41, was one of four people who died when a lorry mowed down pedestrians in a busy shopping district of the Swedish capital on Friday.
A statement from his father John Bevington said: “We are all devastated by the untimely and tragic death of our talented, compassionate and caring son Chris, a wonderful husband, son, father, brother and close friend to many.
“The family requests absolute privacy at this incredibly difficult time to mourn his passing in peace.”
Mr Bevington worked as a director with music streaming service Spotify and was based in Stockholm with his family.
Of the other three people who died, one was Belgian and two were Swedish.
The suspected attacker, arrested on Friday, is a 39-year-old asylum seeker from Uzbekistan who had his application for residency rejected last year,.
Swedish police have revealed that the man was known to authorities some years ago but as “a more marginal character”.
At a press conference yesterday the force said he was sympathetic to extremist groups and had been sought for deportation.
THE STOCKHOLM truck attack suspect was an asylum seeker from Uzbekistan who had his application for Swedish residency rejected and was being sought for deportation, police said.
Jan Evensson, of Stockholm police, told a news conference yesterday that the 39-year-old suspect’s request was rejected in June 2016 but police could not find him for deportation because he was not at the address he had given.
Jonas Hysing, of Sweden’s national police said: “We know he has been sympathetic to extremist organisations”.
Mr Evenssen said police are holding five more people in connection with the deadly attack on Friday and have questioned over 500 others.
He said the four victims killed in the attack included one person from Britain, Chris Bevington, one from Belgium and two Swedes.
A second person has been arrested in connection with the attack and is suspected of terrorist offences, including murder, and police are holding four others.
The mayor of Lembeek, in the Belgian city of Halle, says one of the four killed is a 31-year-old woman who was living in his town.
Dirk Pieters said: “I met her several times. I know very well her parents. They are very nice people who have lived in Halle for a long time.”
Mr Pieters added: “I’m shocked after each attack, but when you put a face on a victim and personally know her parents, it’s even worse.”
Ten of the 15 victims injured in the attack are still being treated in hospital, four of whom remain in a serious condition. Two of those are in intensive care.
One child was injured but not seriously, a spokeswoman for Stockholm County Council confirmed.
Following the rampage Sweden’s prime minister Stefan Lofven said “everything indicates that this is a terrorist attack” and later vowed he would not give in to attempts to destroy democracy.
Theresa May pledged solidarity with the country in the wake of what she described as a “terrible attack” and said “the UK stands firmly by Sweden’s side”.
The latest outrage inflicted on the continent came just two weeks after similar tactics were used to attack London, when Muslim convert Khalid Masood drove into crowds on Westminster Bridge.
The bloodshed also bore hallmarks of attacks seen in Nice and Berlin last year.
Swedish police said officers also found an object in the lorry which “could be a bomb or an incendiary object”, adding that they are still investigating.
Following the attack Sweden’s prime minister, Stefan Lofven, said “everything indicates that this is a terrorist attack” and later vowed he would not give in to attempts to destroy democracy.
The prime minister said: “If it is a terrorist attack, and regardless of whether it was carried out by an organisation or a lone perpetrator, the aim of terrorism is to undermine democracy, to sow discord between people so that more people will begin to hate and distrust one another.
“But those kinds of acts will never succeed in Sweden. We know that our enemy is this kind of vile murderer - not one another.
“We will use all of Sweden’s strength to track you down.
“Our message will always be clear: you cannot suppress us.”
We know he has been sympathetic to extremists Jonas Hysing, of Sweden’s national police