A 17-year-old girl was killed in a sword attack at the Brinell School in Fagersta, Sweden, on Friday. An 18-year-old man, who police confirmed was shot by officers during his arrest, carried out the violent rampage just days after the school resumed from its summer break. Two boys, aged 12 and 17, sustained serious injuries, with one requiring emergency surgery. A third person was also wounded.
The suspect, who police are investigating on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, was not injured during his apprehension. Investigators are working to determine a motive for the attack. Reports indicate the suspect may have had a previous assault conviction and was wearing a helmet while carrying the sword. A TikTok account belonging to the teen, which reportedly contained videos referencing school attacks and a photo of a sword, is also being investigated and has since been taken down.
Police confirmed the victim was a 17-year-old female, whose family has been informed. Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos, with one student recalling seeing a person with blood down their back.
Around 70 people gathered at a makeshift memorial outside the school on Saturday to leave flowers and light candles. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson visited the site and expressed solidarity with the affected families. He noted that "What must never happen has happened again." Political parties suspended their campaign events for the upcoming September parliamentary election, and Kristersson invited party leaders to a meeting to discuss the investigation's progress.
Sweden has experienced other violent incidents at educational institutions. In February 2025, a shooting at an adult education center in Örebro resulted in 10 people being injured. In March 2022, two teachers were fatally stabbed by a student at a secondary school in Malmo. A 2015 attack in Trollhättan, where a man stabbed three people to death at a school before being shot by police, was deemed a racist hate crime targeting dark-skinned victims.