Shooting Attack on Wallander

The shooting attack on Kurt Wallander marks the point at which his investigation becomes a direct threat to those under scrutiny. The available evidence leaves the identity of the person involved uncertain: the driver of a car watched by police may have fired the shot, or may only have witnessed it. Carter’s later reflection confirms that his side tried to take Wallander out and failed.

The Suspected Shooter

While speaking with Mrs Falk, Kurt Wallander receives a call from Hansson about a car seen the previous night. The vehicle’s records have been difficult to establish because the computer data keeps crashing, but Hansson has determined that its number plates were taken from a Volvo parked near Nobeltorget in Malmö the previous week. Wallander concludes that the car had been keeping watch on events.

Wallander tells Hansson that the driver is suspected of involvement in Hökberg’s murder and may also have fired the shot at him. He immediately qualifies the allegation: the driver might instead have been a witness. The exchange establishes a connection between the surveillance car and the attack as a line of investigation, not as a proven identification of the shooter.

The Police Response

Hansson is uncertain how to proceed. Wallander directs him to contact Malmö police about the Volvo and to issue a nationwide alert for the Mazda. The response widens the search beyond the scene where the Volvo had been parked, while preserving the uncertainty over whether the Mazda itself was stolen or merely carried stolen plates. The attack thus produces a practical investigative lead, but not an immediate resolution.

Carter’s Confirmation

The later account from Carter supplies what the police conversation cannot: confirmation that the attack was deliberate. After learning that Wallander was the policeman tracking the group, Carter says they tried to take him out. They failed, and Wallander remained tenaciously on their trail. Carter’s account makes the attempted shooting part of the group’s effort to stop the investigation, while its failure sharpens the danger without ending the pursuit.