Palme's murder was the first of its kind in modern Swedish history. He was the leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 until his assassination in 1986, and was also the Prime Minister of Sweden twice during this period, heading a Privy Council Government from 1969 to 1976 and a cabinet government from 1982 until his death.

Olof Palme and his wife Lisbet were attacked close to midnight on February 28. The couple could often be seen without bodyguard protection, and walking home from a cinema on the night of his murder was one such occasion. Palme was fatally shot in the back at close range, and a second shot wounded his wife. Security had never until then been a major issue, and as the crime remains unsolved to this day, it's developed into something of a national trauma.