Young man dead after fall at Johannesbergs Castle – murder investigation launched
An employee of Ica Flygfyren in Norrtälje fell from a great height and died during the shop's anniversary celebration. Police are investigating the death as murder, but no one is suspected.
Murder investigation following death at castle celebration in Gottröra
A man born in 2006, employed at Ica Flygfyren in Norrtälje, fell from a great height and died during the shop's 50th anniversary celebration at Johannesbergs Castle in Gottröra on Saturday 5 September. Police were called to the scene at 21:51. The man could not be saved.
Police have opened a preliminary investigation into murder – not because a crime is suspected, but to allow the investigation to be conducted thoroughly, reports alltomnorrtalje.se.
– The police have no preconceived notions about what happened, and it could just as well be an accident, says police spokesperson Robert Sennerdal at the Stockholm police region to Norrtelje Tidning.
No suspect has been identified, and nothing in the investigation points to a crime having been committed. Police have issued the same statement to Aftonbladet and SVT Nyheter.
No one witnessed the incident itself
Sennerdal told Expressen that no one witnessed the incident itself, but that many people were nearby. During Sunday, interviews were held with guests who attended the celebration, who were reported to be deeply affected by what had occurred.
The celebration brought together around 170 employees. The incident occurred outdoors on the castle grounds.
Crisis support at Ica Flygfyren the day after
Ica Flygfyren in Norrtälje remained closed on Sunday morning and did not open until lunchtime. An employee stood at the entrance and informed customers of the delayed opening. Several stopped by to express their condolences for the death, according to Aftonbladet.
Inside the shop, crisis support from several sources had gathered: Ica's own crisis team, the municipality's crisis support, psychologists and priests from the Swedish Church. The shop's management group was also present, reports Norrtelje Tidning and SVT Nyheter.
As the entire staff had been invited to the anniversary celebration, many of those now receiving crisis support had themselves been at the castle when their colleague died.
– People are feeling terrible, it's a colleague, says deputy manager Tommy Larsson to Expressen.
Larsson, who was himself at the celebration, describes what happened as a "total tragedy" and the deceased as a cheerful young man in his twenties. He told Aftonbladet that the incident has deeply affected many of the staff and that all thoughts go to his family. Larsson refuses to speculate about the sequence of events and refers to the ongoing police investigation.
In an Instagram post, Ica Flygfyren writes that what was to have been a celebration of the shop's 50th anniversary instead ended in tragedy, and asks for understanding that the shop cannot comment further.
Castle denies claims about absence of personnel
Johannesbergs Castle denies claims that were previously made – with reference to Expressen – that the facility lacked its own staff during the celebration.
In a written response to Allt om Norrtälje, the company's managing director Göran Andersson refutes the claim.
– Of course we have staff on site. Who else would cook the food or serve it? We don't host any events without this, he writes.
According to Andersson, around twenty employees, including the site manager, worked that evening. It was the castle's own staff who began cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the man after the fall.
– It was our staff who started CPR on the deceased person, the managing director writes.
He states that he contacted Expressen and that the newspaper should correct its information. The castle's earlier failure to comment on the incident was not due to unwillingness, but because they did not want to precede the police investigation with rumour-spreading.
Andersson himself travelled to the facility on Sunday morning to assist the site manager in looking after staff. The castle has also held a crisis meeting with a priest, management and all personnel.
– Of course it is difficult to experience such tragic events for all parties involved, he writes.
Investigation continues
The police preliminary investigation into murder is ongoing. No one is suspected and nothing in the material that has so far emerged points to a crime having been committed.
Source: Google News SE — Crime (sv)