A 17-year-old girl was killed in a sword attack at the Brinell School in Fagersta, central Sweden, on Friday, police confirmed Saturday. The suspect, an 18-year-old man, was arrested at the scene.
Three other individuals were wounded during the assault, which occurred while classes were in session. Two boys, aged 12 and 17, sustained severe injuries, while a third person under 18 was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital. Police stated they are investigating the incident as murder and attempted murder and currently have no indication of additional perpetrators.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear. Investigators have conducted house searches in connection with the suspect and are interviewing numerous witnesses. The region was briefly placed under a state of emergency following the incident, but this was lifted by Saturday.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his condolences, noting the violence occurred shortly after the summer break. "We do not yet know what lies behind the act, but we know that the police are working very intensively," he said in a social media post. "Our thoughts are with all those affected."
This incident is one of several violent attacks at Swedish schools in recent years. In 2023, an attack at an education center in Örebro resulted in 11 deaths, including the gunman, prompting proposals for stricter gun laws. In 2022, two female teachers were killed in a knife and ax attack at a school in Malmo. A 2015 attack in Trollhattan, which authorities described as a racist hate crime, saw a man stab three people to death before being shot by police.