The prospect that the suspect in the death of Swedish police officer Christian Zedig could face only eight to 10 months in prison has become the most contentious feature of a case that has shocked both Denmark and Sweden.

Zedig, a 32-year-old father of two, died after suffering catastrophic injuries during violence at a World Cup public-viewing event in Copenhagen.

The apparent gap between the fatal outcome and the sentencing range has fuelled public anger.

A man died after being struck during an altercation, leaving a wife and two young daughters; yet the range cited by the prosecutor under the current legal classification is measured in months rather than years.

For Zedig’s colleagues, family and many members of the public, that contrast is the central source of outrage.

Zedig was at Islands Brygge on 30 June to watch Norway play Ivory Coast.

Violence broke out among spectators, and he was seriously injured.

He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and died on 3 July.

His death was followed by tributes from Swedish and Danish leaders, a memorial in his home town of Eksjö and increased security at subsequent football screenings in Copenhagen.

One 31-year-old man remains in custody.

He has acknowledged being at the scene but denies criminal responsibility and has declined to give a substantive account to investigators.

He is being held on suspicion of violence, not following a conviction for murder or manslaughter.

That distinction is decisive.

The eight-to-10-month figure is not a sentence handed down by a court, nor does it represent a final legal finding on how Zedig died.

It is the prosecutor’s present assessment of the likely penalty under the charge now being pursued.

The defence has argued that the case concerns assault.

Police are still examining the full sequence of events, including whether others played a part.

Witnesses have described a wider confrontation, but individual responsibility, the cause of the fatal injuries and the appropriate criminal charge remain matters for the investigation and the courts.

Claims about the suspect’s migration background, nationality and previous convictions have circulated widely online.

Danish authorities have not publicly confirmed all of those claims, and they should not be treated as established facts in advance of a completed investigation or trial.

The practical consequence is stark: unless prosecutors bring a more serious charge or the evidence changes the legal assessment, the case could proceed on a basis that carries a potential prison term of no more than 10 months for an assault after which Zedig died.