Sweden reels from 'worst' school shooting in history

A lone gunman's attack at a Swedish adult education center has claimed 11 lives, including the attacker, marking what Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has described as "the worst mass shooting in Swedish history".

The attack at the school, situated 200 kilometers west of Stockholm, has left the typically peaceful city of Orebro in shock as authorities piece together the events that unfolded, reported the BBC.

Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the attack unfolded.

"I saw people dragging injured out, first one, then another. I realized it was very serious," teacher Maria Pegado told Reuters, explaining how she evacuated her 15 students to safety.

Speaking to public broadcaster SVT, another teacher, Lena Warenmark, recounted hearing the gunfire while in her study.

"There were a few shots first in short succession, a short pause and then a few more," she said.

Social media footage captured the terror of the attack, with videos showing students sheltering under desks and the sound of rapid gunfire echoing across the area as people-fled.

Authorities responded with an extensive lockdown, securing six nearby schools and a restaurant while urging residents to seek shelter.

At a 10 am police briefing on Wednesday, authorities confirmed the death toll remained at 11, including the attacker, who is believed to have shot himself. Six people were hospitalized, including five with gunshot wounds, and two remained in intensive care. The Swedish Board of Forensic Medicine's Disaster Victim Identification team was working to identify all victims.

As investigations into the perpetrator's motives continued, authorities warned against online speculation and disinformation, while withholding further details about the circumstances of the attack.

In a series of updates earlier on Wednesday, police ruled out both ideological and terror motives, con-firming the attacker was a lone gunman with no prior police record or gang affiliations.

"We're working with secret services but as far as I know, it's a person unknown to police," Orebro's local police chief, Roberto Eid Forest, told reporters, adding that he "can't say anything about the kind of weapon "used "other than it was a firearm".

Kristersson said the attack would "forever mark a dark day in Swedish history" as he urged the country to come together as a nation.

He said: "Today, people have woken up to unimaginable sadness and pain. For those who have lost a loved one, life will never be the same again."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed support in a post on X, writing: "Such violence and terror have no place in our societies — least of all in schools. In this dark hour, we stand with the people of Sweden."

While shootings are rare in Sweden, schools have faced other violent incidents in recent years, including fatal stabbings in Malmo and Kristianstad in 2022, and a deadly sword attack that killed three in Trollhattan in 2015.