Around 10 dead in Sweden's worst ever mass shooting, including gunman, as police probe motive for school atrocity
About 10 people, including the gunman, were killed on Tuesday at an adult education centre in what Sweden’s prime minister called the country’s “worst mass shooting”.
The final death toll may still rise, say police, and a conclusive number of wounded has not yet been determined.
Hours after the tragedy, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the shooting as “brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people”.
“This is the worst mass shooting in Swedish history,” said Mr Kristersson. “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.”
The shooting happened on the outskirts of the city of Orebro, which is about 125 miles west of Stockholm.
Violence erupted at Campus Risbergska after many students had gone home after 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 after the exam. She also told the broadcaster that she heard probably 10 gunshots.
Students sheltered in nearby buildings. Other parts of the school were evacuated following the shooting, which began at 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.
Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police, told reporters that the suspected gunman is among those killed.
Police believe the perpetrator acted alone, and he was not previously known to law enforcement, officials said.
Authorities said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point, but police did not provide a motive.
The adult education centre serves students aged 20 and up, but is in the same campus as other schools.
It offers primary and upper secondary school courses, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training and programmes for people with intellectual disabilities.
Police raided the suspect’s home after Tuesday’s shooting, though it was not immediately clear what was found.
Mr Eid Forest said there were no warning signs before the attack and authorities were working to identify the deceased.
Earlier, Mr Kristersson said that it was “a very painful day for all of Sweden”.
“My thoughts are also with all those whose normal school day was exchanged for terror,” Mr Kristersson said.
“Being confined to a classroom with fear for your own life is a nightmare that no one should have to experience.”
Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf praised police and the rescue and medical personnel who responded to the shooting, and offered words of comfort to the families of the victims.
“It is with sadness and dismay that my family and I have received the information about the terrible atrocity in Orebro,” the king 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.”