The man suspected of beating Swedish police officer Christian Zedig to death in Copenhagen has a long and serious criminal history. According to information that has now come to light, he has previously been convicted of both rape and attempted murder.
The man, who is described as being of African descent, was sentenced in 2017 to seven years in prison for attempted murder and a serious weapons offense. Earlier, in 2014, he had been convicted of the brutal rape and torture of his then-girlfriend. According to the 2014 verdict, he severely assaulted the woman over the course of a day, whipped her with a belt, bit her, and held a kitchen knife to her throat.
Despite these serious crimes and the fact that he is a foreign national, he was never deported from Denmark.
Killed a Swedish police officer during World Cup celebrations
Christian Zedig, 32, was a Swedish police officer and soccer fan who was in Copenhagen to watch a World Cup match. When a fight broke out, he intervened to try to calm the situation. According to witnesses, the violence then turned against him, and he was severely beaten—including having someone jump on his head. He later died from his injuries.
The suspect was later arrested after turning himself in to the police. He denies the charges.
Recurring patterns
The case of Christian Zedig is the latest in a series of incidents in which a person of foreign origin with prior convictions for serious crimes is suspected of violent crimes against Swedes. Previously, similar cases—such as the murder of Henry Nowak in the United Kingdom, has sparked strong reactions.
The fact that a man convicted of both rape and attempted murder was still in Denmark and able to commit another serious violent crime has sparked sharp criticism of Denmark’s immigration and criminal justice policies. Many are asking why he was not deported after his previous convictions.
Christian Zedig leaves behind a wife and two young children. The case has led to calls for stricter rules on the deportation of foreign criminals in both Denmark and Sweden.
