At least 10 people, including the gunman, were killed Tuesday at an adult education center in what Sweden’s prime minister called the country’s worst mass shooting. But a final death toll, a conclusive number of wounded and a motive hadn’t yet been determined hours later.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson gave a news conference in the aftermath of the tragedy, which happened on the outskirts of Orebro. The city is about 200 kilometers west of Stockholm.
The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students over age 20, according to its website. Primary and upper secondary school courses are offered, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training and programs for people with intellectual disabilities.
“Today, we have witnessed brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people,” Kristersson told reporters in Stockholm. “This is the worst mass shooting in Swedish history. Many questions remain unanswered, and I cannot provide those answers either.
“But the time will come when we will know what happened, how it could occur, and what motives may have been behind it. Let us not speculate,” he said.
Gun violence at schools is very rare in Sweden. But there have been several incidents in recent years in which people were wounded or killed with other weapons such as knives or axes.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer called the shooting “an event that shakes our entire society to its core.”
While Swedes read about such violence in other places, Strömmer said that the country previously felt it wouldn’t happen there. Other tragedies in Swedish schools weren't to the extent of Tuesday’s attack, he said, calling it “indescribably sad” for the community.
The shooting also sent shock waves through Europe, with officials in Brussels expressing their outrage at the carnage.
“What happened today in Örebro is truly horrifying,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media. “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.”
The damage at the crime scene was so extensive that investigators were unable to be more definitive about the number of fatalities, said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police.
Police said that the death toll could rise. Eid Forest told reporters that the suspected gunman was among those killed. Police believe the perpetrator acted alone, and he wasn’t previously known to police, officials said.
Authorities said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point, but police didn’t provide a motive.
“Of course, we all want to understand why this happened, what occurred, and what motives the perpetrator may have had,” Kristersson said. “We will have to wait for those answers — in due time, the picture will become clearer.”
Police raided the suspect’s home after Tuesday's shooting, but it wasn't immediately clear what they found. Eid Forest said there were no warning signs before the attack. Authorities were working to identify the deceased.
Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf praised police and the rescue and medical personnel who responded to the shooting, and issued words of comfort to the families of the victims.
“It is with sadness and dismay that my family and I have received the information about the terrible atrocity in Örebro,” the monarch said in a statement. “We send our condolences tonight to the families and friends of the deceased. Our thoughts at this time also go to the injured and their relatives, as well as to others affected.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed support to neighboring Sweden, calling Tuesday's shooting “a terrible situation.”
“I am so sad and all my thoughts are with the victims and their families and with the entire Swedish community and society,” she said after a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London. “It’s a terrible situation. And of course, our neighboring countries have all of our support.”
The shooting erupted after many students had gone home following a national exam. Police vehicles and ambulances, lights flashing, blanketed the parking lots and streets around the school as a helicopter buzzed overhead.
Teacher Lena Warenmark told SVT News that there were unusually few students on the campus Tuesday afternoon after the exam. She also told the broadcaster that she heard probably 10 gunshots.
Students sheltered in nearby buildings. Other parts of the school were evacuated following the shooting, which began at around 12:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT).
Andreas Sundling, 28, was among those forced to barricade themselves inside the school.
“We heard three bangs and loud screams,” he told Expressen newspaper while sheltering in a classroom.
Geir Moulson in Berlin and Kwiyeon Ha in London contributed.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
14 Comments
Login to comment
Japantime
Hopefully Sweden will be able to introduce the right rules to protect citizens from gun crime. Unfortunately Americans don’t take the matter seriously.
sakurasuki
Sweden trying to be US, that's supposed to unique US characteristic, other country shouldn't mimic that.
WoodyLee
A SAD and tearful day in the beautiful nation of Sweden indeed.
Sven Asai
Why do such things happen? The reason simply is, they nowadays learn nothing or only the wrong things at regular schools and that continues seamlessly at such adult education centers.
falseflagsteve
A man who burned a Koran was murdered a few days ago in Sweden by Muslim fanatics, wonder if there’s a connection. Strange, no word on the identity of the shooter in the media yet.
Cephus
Violence begets more violence which ends up solving nothing except creating more volatile situation.
Harry_Gatto
According to one unconfirmed Swedish source:
Licensed to carry a weapon suggest that he was a Swedish national or at least a citizen.
Zaphod
Harry_Gatto
For reference, "Swedish national" does not mean much these days, seeing how easily passports are given by Western European governments.
itsonlyrocknroll
Quote: Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said of the 'worst mass shooting in Swedish history': 'Today, we have witnessed brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people. He later added: ' My thoughts, the thoughts of all of Sweden, are now with first and foremost with those who are the direct victims of this heinous act. 'Your grief is our grief. We are with you.'
To date not a single victim has been named, or the identify of the deceased alleged preparator of such a heinous crime.
Harry_Gatto
Zaphod
Yes, I'm all grown up now and am aware of this. My observation is that the shooter is unlikely to be a recent immigrant as obtaining full naturalisation in Sweden takes 10 years though obtaining citizenship can take less dependent on the route. All this is taken into account when applying for a firearms licence.
itsonlyrocknroll
Harry_Gatto is voicing what the people of Sweden is speculating with increasing trepidation.
The nation is experiencing a highly volatile, Pandora's box of crime, associated with organised crime, brutal gang wars, Islamic extremism.
WatanabeBuddha
The most likely suspects are: Muslim, Middle Eastern, and pro-Palestine supporter. Europe has sowed its fate and is reaping the rewards.
albaleo
The only hint about the perpetrator so far is this - "Unconfirmed reports in the Swedish media say the gunman was a 35-year-old local recluse who legally owned a gun."
kikai
That's what some JT commentators are hoping for, no doubt.
No, you're hoping there's a connection. Just say it out straight, come on.
Yeah, coz white westerners are never terrorists. Ok.