1 dead, 3 hurt after sword attack at Swedish high school

GENEVA — An 18-year-old man with a sword attacked a school Friday in central Sweden, leaving one person dead and at least two others seriously injured, a police chief said.

Police Chief Tommy Alriksson told a news conference that the suspect had been arrested following the attack at the school in the central town of Fagersta, northwest of the capital, Stockholm.

Police confirmed that shots were fired during the arrest. It was not clear whether the suspect had been injured, but he was being held in custody — not treated in a hospital.

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The attack took place at the Brinell School in Fagersta while classes were in session, with about 400 to 500 students, officials said. There was no immediate word on the attacker’s possible motive.

“We have no reason at this time to believe that there are multiple perpetrators,” Alriksson said, adding that an investigation was continuing.

Sweden’s national police said investigators have already carried out two house searches in connection with the suspect. Many witnesses were expected to be interviewed as part of the investigation.

“That’s why we can’t give out too much information, because we don’t want to influence witnesses,” Alriksson said.

Vastmanland County, where the town is located, said the two seriously injured boys were between 12 and 17 years old, the TT news agency reported. It did not provide details about the dead person.

Police spokesperson Pelle Vamstad, quoted by TT, said an alarm was received in the early afternoon Friday. Police cordoned off a wide area around the school as part of their response. Several nearby schools had been locked down following the incident, and roadblocks were set up, authorities said.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, in a post earlier on the X social media platform, lamented the violence in Fagersta “right 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 added. “Our thoughts are with all those affected.”

The Fagersta city government set up a crisis center in a sports hall near the school. The Vastmanland County government said “many people” were affected and that police, fire services and health care workers were among those caring for them. /das