Gaboro was shot and killed in December 2024 inside a parking garage in the Swedish city of Norrköping, one day before his 24th birthday. The murder drew widespread attention after footage of the attack, reportedly filmed by the gunman himself, circulated online shortly after the incident. Swedish police described the killing as “a pure execution” and one of the most brutal murder investigations they had encountered.
According to Swedish prosecutors, a 22-year-old man was charged with murder and aggravated weapons offences, while another man faced charges related to assisting the crime. Investigators alleged the shooter fired at least ten shots at the rapper as he attempted to flee. Authorities believe the killing was financially motivated and linked to Sweden’s ongoing gang conflicts, with reports suggesting the suspect had allegedly been recruited through encrypted chat groups.
This week, Swedish courts sentenced the 22-year-old, identified in reports as Alexander Nord, to life imprisonment for the murder. A second accused man was acquitted of involvement. The court reportedly stated that the killer acted with a “frightening indifference to human life.”
Investigators were eventually able to identify the suspect through DNA evidence and family-searching forensic techniques after a vehicle connected to the murder was discovered abandoned. Prosecutors also alleged the gunman had expected payment for carrying out the killing and for filming the attack.
Known for concealing his identity behind a ski mask and sunglasses, Gaboro had become one of the more recognisable names in Swedish hip-hop, accumulating millions of streams online. His stage name, “Gaboro,” means “strong man or warrior” in the Western dialect of the Assyrian language. Songs such as “Browski” and “Harki” helped establish his growing popularity in Sweden’s rap scene.
As one of several rising Assyrian-background rappers emerging from Sweden, Gaboro formed part of a broader cultural wave that included artists such as Ricky Rich, Ant Wan, Nineb Youk, G1ocatore and A36. Their success reflected the growing influence of diaspora communities within Swedish music and popular culture, particularly among younger audiences.
The case has also drawn attention to the broader rise in organised criminal violence across Sweden in recent years, particularly among younger generations in socially disadvantaged areas. While some Assyrians have previously been linked to criminal networks in cities such as Södertälje, Assyrian community leaders in Sweden have repeatedly stressed that such individuals represent only a tiny minority within a much larger and well-established community known for its contributions to business, sport, education, and civic life.
