About ten people, including the alleged shooter, were killed on Tuesday during a shooting at a Swedish educational institution. The Swedish prime minister called it the deadliest mass shooting in the country’s history.
Initial reports from authorities mentioned injuries at Campus Risbergska, a secondary school in Orebro, but no deaths were confirmed at first.
While school attacks are rare in Sweden, the country has been grappling with shootings and bombings linked to gang violence, which claimed numerous lives annually.
Orebro police chief Roberto Eid Forest confirmed that around ten people had died but did not provide an exact figure, citing the number of injured victims. He did not share further information about those hurt in the incident.
Worst mass shooting in Sweden’s history
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson referred to the tragedy as Sweden’s most severe mass shooting during a press conference. Forest stated that investigators had yet to determine a motive but believed the gunman acted alone.
Authorities have not disclosed details about the identities or ages of the victims nor clarified if they were students or staff.
Some media outlets speculated that the suspect may have taken his own life, but police have not verified this claim. Kristersson urged the public to avoid speculation, emphasizing that more information would come in time. “We will learn what happened, how it happened, and why,” he said.
The first reports of the attack reached police at 12:33 PM local time. Officials provided limited details about events unfolding but mentioned evidence suggesting the suspect used equipment to create smoke inside the school.
Two teachers at Campus Risbergska told a local newspaper they heard gunfire in the hallway. “Students ran to tell us someone was shooting. Then we heard more shots,” they said. “We stayed in our offices, hiding. At first, there were many gunshots, followed by silence for about 30 minutes. Then it started again. We hid under our desks, terrified.”
Witnesses reported hearing what sounded like automatic gunfire. Swedish television later reported that police searched the suspect’s home and noted he was around 35 years old, had a firearm license, and had no criminal record. Authorities have not confirmed these details.
There was Blood Everywhere
A 16-year-old student named Linn, from a nearby school, described the aftermath. “I was standing close by and saw it all. There were bodies on the ground, but I couldn’t tell if they were dead or injured. There was blood everywhere, people crying, and parents in panic—it was chaos,” she recounted, her voice shaking.
King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his “deep sorrow and shock” over the incident. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the violence, calling it “horrific” and stating, “Schools should never be places for such terror. Our hearts are with Sweden during this tragic time.”
As a precaution, students at Campus Risbergska and nearby schools were placed on lockdown for hours. They were gradually released later in the day. Cia Sandell, whose son was in one of the schools, shared her anxiety. “My son is locked inside that school. They’re hiding for safety. I’m angry and scared—this shouldn’t happen,” she said.
Although such incidents are unusual in Sweden, other violent school attacks have occurred in recent years. In 2022, an 18-year-old killed two teachers in Malmo. Earlier that year, a 16-year-old injured a student and teacher in a knife attack in Kristianstad. In 2015, a racially motivated sword attack in Trollhattan claimed three lives before police shot the attacker.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
