‘Brutal violence’: Multiple people killed in shooting at school in Sweden

About 10 people, including the gunman, were killed on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) at an adult education centre in what Sweden’s prime minister has called the country’s worst mass shooting. But a final death toll, a conclusive number of people wounded, and a motive hadn’t yet been determined hours later.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson gave a news conference in the aftermath of the tragedy, which happened on the outskirts of the city of Orebro, about 200 kilometres west of Stockholm.

“Today, we have witnessed brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people,” Kristersson told reporters in Stockholm.

“This is the worst mass shooting in Swedish history. Many questions remain unanswered, and I cannot provide those answers either.

“But the time will come when we will know what happened, how it could occur, and what motives may have been behind it. Let us not speculate,” he said.

The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students over age 20, according to its website. Primary and upper secondary school courses are offered, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training and programs for people with intellectual disabilities.

Emergency services at the scene of the shooting at Risbergska School, in Orebro, Sweden.Credit: AP

The shooting erupted after many students had gone home following a national exam. Police vehicles and ambulances, lights flashing, blanketed the car parks and streets around the school as a helicopter buzzed overhead.

Teacher Lena Warenmark told SVT News that there were unusually few students on the campus on Tuesday afternoon after the exam. She said she heard about 10 gunshots.

Students sheltered in nearby buildings and other parts of the school were evacuated following the shooting, which began about 12.30pm local time.

Andreas Sundling, 28, was among those forced to barricade themselves inside the school. “We heard three bangs and loud screams,” he told Expressen newspaper while sheltering in a classroom.

Gun violence at schools is very rare in Sweden, but there have been several incidents in recent years in which people were wounded or killed with other weapons, such as knives or axes.

‘Indescribably sad’

Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer called the shooting “an event that shakes our entire society to its core”.

While Swedes read about such violence in other places, Strommer said that the country previously felt it wouldn’t happen there. Other tragedies in Swedish schools weren’t to the extent of Tuesday’s attack, he said, calling it “indescribably sad” for the community.

The damage at the crime scene is so extensive that investigators have not yet established a final death toll, said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police. Authorities are working to identify the deceased.

Eid Forest told reporters the suspected gunman was among those killed. They believe he acted alone and wasn’t previously known to authorities.

There were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point, police said, but no motive is yet known.

Police raided the suspect’s home after the shooting, but it wasn’t immediately clear what they found. Eid Forest said there were no warning signs before the attack.

Police cordon off an area near Risbergska School in Orebro after the shooting. Credit: AP

“Of course, we all want to understand why this happened, what occurred, and what motives the perpetrator may have had,” PM Kristersson said.

“We will have to wait for those answers – in due time, the picture will become clearer.”

Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf praised police and medical responders and issued words of comfort to the victims’ families.

“It is with sadness and dismay that my family and I have received the information about the terrible atrocity in Orebro,” the monarch said in a statement.

“We send our condolences tonight to the families and friends of the deceased. Our thoughts at this time also go to the injured and their relatives, as well as to others affected.”

AP

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