Police were called to the scene in the Fosie suburb in southern Malmö shortly before 2am on Tuesday after several residents in the area reported they had heard the sound of gunfire.

A body was later found in an area between two apartment blocks.

“We find a dead man in the courtyard and note that he has been shot,” police control room officer Peter Martinsson recounted the events to the Aftonbladet tabloid on Tuesday morning.

The man had not yet been identified by 8am and no arrests had been made.

Forensic teams cordoned off the area and examined the crime scene throughout the night.

“There are loads who have heard shots being fired but no information about anyone seeing anything, so we're knocking on doors in the area and are questioning people,” said Martinsson.

While not as well known internationally as troubled neighbouring district Rosengård, violence in Fosie is regularly linked to gang crime and ethnic segregation.

Tuesday's incident comes just over a month after another man was found dead in a separate shooting at a car park in the suburb.