Sweden experienced the worst killing spree in its history

Sweden experienced the worst killing spree in its history

In the Swedish city of Ehrebro, an armed attacker opened the fire to an adult education center on Tuesday and killed at least 10 people. The country's prime minister described the incident as the "worst massacre in Swedish history".

what happened?

At 12:33 p.m. local time (6:33 a.m.), the police received reports of shots in Örebro, a city about 160 kilometers west of Stockholm. The shots fell on Campus Risbergska, a school for adults who did not complete the previous educational levels. These facilities are known as KomVux in Sweden and offer vocational training, Swedish courses and other adult programs who want to achieve the necessary qualifications to find a job. They are also important services for the refugee and migrant populations of Sweden.

cell phone videos showed how students hid under tables, while alarm systems were shrilling and red lights flashed. "We heard bright noises and loud screams. At first we could not assess what was going on, but then we realized that it could be shots," said 28-year-old student Andreas Sundling to the Swedish channel. He reported that his classmates barricaded the doors and looked for protection for about an hour before the police entered the classroom and evacuated the students. "There was blood everywhere in the hallway," added Sundling.

How many people were killed or injured?

The police announced that at least 10 people were killed in the attack and six injured. The attacker was also killed. In an update on Wednesday, the regional authorities of Örebro announced that six people are treated in the local university hospital. This includes three women and two men who had to be operated on due to gunshot wounds. While it was initially assumed that they had suffered life -threatening injuries, the authorities have now reported that the condition of the five improved to "stable but serious". Another woman received treatment for less serious injuries. Other patients were not treated in the hospital overnight, according to the authorities.

At the beginning of the attack, many students had already left the site after taking a nationwide exam on Tuesday, the teacher Lena Warenmark reported to the Swedish radio SVT. Mary Pegado, a 54-year-old teacher at the school, reported that she and her students had ran to safety after someone stormed into their classroom and told them they should come out. "I think of my students," Pegado told Reuters. "Many of them have fled from countries in which something like this happens, and now they are experiencing it here. It's terrible," she added.

What do we know about the perpetrator?

At the moment, not much is known about the perpetrator. The police stated that he was not aware of any connections to gangs and that he had not acted for ideological reasons. "At the moment, the police believe that the perpetrator acted alone cannot rule out that other people are connected to the incident," said the police on Tuesday. They did not provide any information about the type of weapon that the perpetrator used.

The police stated that the attacker also shot the officials when they arrived on the campus. In a press conference on Wednesday, the police said that the perpetrator was found dead and apparently committed suicide. The authorities have not yet identified the attacker.

How rare are such attacks?

school shootings are rather rare, but Sweden - known for his high living standards and a strong social security net - has recorded an increase in violent crime in recent years, which is partly due to gang wars. According to Reuters, Sweden recorded the highest rate of fatal firearms per capita in the European Union in 2023. In 2024, at least 40 people were killed by shots in the country with only 10 million inhabitants - a decline in a maximum of 63 deaths in 2022.

Although Sweden has high gun ownership rates in the EU comparison, the Swedes have to acquire a license before they are allowed to have a weapon, and the country places strict requirements for authorization. Prime Minister Kristersson called for an investigation into how this "horrible" crime could occur on Tuesday. "Today we experienced brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people - this is the worst mass shootout in Swedish history," he said.

reports of CNNS Sana Noor Haq.