Sweden Mass Shooting: Deadliest Attack in Country’s History Leaves 10 Dead
Sweden Mass Shooting at Orebro School Stuns the Nation
Tuesday became a terrifying day for Sweden as a mass shooting took place in an adult education center at Orebro, killing at least 10 people, including the gunman himself. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson declared the incident the worst mass shooting in Swedish history that has sent shockwaves from one end of the country to the other.
Campus Risbergska Shooting
The shooting was at Campus Risbergska, an adult education center in Orebro, approximately 200 kilometers west of Stockholm. The institution offers adult vocational training and Swedish classes for immigrants to build self-sufficiency as well as programs for persons with intellectual disabilities.
Eyewitnesses stated that around 12:30 local time, the incident gained a mob crescendo when panic broke out. Students and staff barricaded themselves inside classrooms while others scampered out of the premises.
School Children Nearby When Gunfire Breaks Out
While the attack targeted an adult education center, Sweden mass shooting took place on a campus with several schools within it, some of which were attended by schoolchildren. Authorities hurried to clear the area in light of the fact that schoolchildren could be in danger.
Some students had already given a national exam, which possibly spared them a more serious fate. But police had confirmed that many were injured, with several already undergoing emergency surgeries at Orebro University Hospital.
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Injury Toll Now Put at 10, Gunman Included
Local chief of police Roberto Eid Forest confirmed that the death toll is still hovering around 10, although sources warned there may be more as further investigations continue. The gunman was among those dead, but whether he perished from police gunfire or otherwise remains undisclosed.
Forest confirmed the suspect was not known to law enforcement and had no known gang affiliations. Police found no apparent links to terrorism but did say investigations are ongoing.
Students and teachers describe the confusion as the attack began.
“We heard three loud bangs and people screaming,” said Andreas Sundling, a 28-year-old who hid in a classroom. “We were told to sit tight and wait for them to come for us.”
Fifty-four-year-old teacher Maria Pegado recalls that she continued to lead 15 students to safety after a colleague shouted that everybody should run.
“I took my class out into the hallway, and we started running,” she said. “I heard two more bangs behind us. It was terrifying.”
The Swedish leadership condemns the attack and demands answers.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson addressed the nation, expressing his condolences to the victims’ families, as well as praise for the results of the police response.
“This is a very painful day for all of Sweden,” Kristersson said. “I think of those affected and their loved ones.”
He also pointed to the effect on schoolchildren: “No child should live through the kind of terror unleashed at school. To be in a classroom and fearing for your life is a nightmare that no one should have to experience.”
Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his deep regret, calling the assault a “dark day for the country.”
Growing Problems with Gun Violence in Sweden
Although school shootings are infrequent in Sweden, this nation has been witnessing a constant stream of ambitious targets for gun-related crime-shot killings. In 2024 alone, at least 40 people were shot dead, thereby marking it as one of the worst years for gun-related violence.
Nevertheless, attacks on schools, hurting school children, still remain relatively uncommon. Up until then, there were only seven documented shooting incidents between the years 2010 and 2022, all of which entailed a fatally wounded perpetrator, often involving knives and other weapon options.
Sweden is still a long way from ‘it,’ as the investigation on the subject is underway
Authorities have searched the gunman’s residence, but no motive has been confirmed. Security footage, forensic evidence, and witness testimony are all being examined by investigators as we speak in an effort to grasp how and why Sweden’s latest mass shooting occurred.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer vowed to enhance security in order to make schools less attractive targets.
As Sweden mourns, the nation has been left grappling with one of the darkest days in its history.
References:
https://apnews.com/article/sweden-shooting-adult-education-center-6be99a59fa3404ae296589e60c881f6c
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/04/europe/orebro-sweden-school-shooting-intl/index.html
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/4/five-people-shot-at-school-in-sweden
