Masked man kills two in sword attack at Swedish school

Two things:

First, this appears to be a terrorist act.

Second, it is a wonderful thing that Sweden is a civilized country, where this guy could not gain access to a gun that would have enabled him to kill, oh, 15 or 20, or even more.

Horrible stuff. Thank god he wasn't carrying 16 guns like your average American thinks it's 'perfectly natural' to own (legally or not).

@ Black Sabbath His intention was to cause terror so, yes, this can be classified as a terrorist act.

It is quite easy to gain access to firearms in Sweden, simply requires belonging to a shooting club (or passing a hunting license test) and being over 18.

The main difference here is that there is not a culture of mass shootings. He had a specific issue with immigrants and Islam and this was a hate motivated attack. Many mass shootings (particularly in the US) are damaged people lashing out at anything and anyone.

Sad to read once again an emotionally unbalanced cultural extremist has murdered innocent people. RIP teacher and young student.

So sorry about the loss of life here but glad it wasn't a whole classroom full of people. Knives and swords give time to respond; guns do not.

Thank god he wasn't carrying 16 guns like your average American thinks it's 'perfectly natural' to own (legally or not).

Agree Smith. But I wouldn't call the person we all know you are referring to here as an "average American". I live here now, and most Americans I speak to would think that VERY questionable.

Meanwhile in a parallel universe, the National Rapier Association calls for all teachers be sabred up.

Jees - mentally unstable, socially isolated, the internet, right-wing, immigration - a recipe waiting to explode. I think countries should start keeping an eye out for these domestic threats as much as they should foreign ones. People just can't be trusted to deal with their mental problems

A real troll!

Second, it is a wonderful thing that Sweden is a civilized country, where this guy could not gain access to a gun that would have enabled him to kill, oh, 15 or 20, or even more.

If I'm not mistaken but technically Sweden still allows it citizens buy brand new Fully Automatics and Gatling guns.

" First, this appears to be a terrorist act. "

To me, this looks like a nutcase attack. It is media who immediately try to spin it into a political issue. Running around in a darth Vader outfit and attacking people with a sword is not a "right wing" issue, or left wing for that matter.

the nra has already sent out a response to this crime:

The students and teachers would not have been killed if they were armed; therefore, sweden's strict gun laws are directly to blame for this tragedy. phhhtht!

What sort of restrictions does Sweden have on bladed weapons?

Curious if he was actually STABBING people....a longsword is primarily a cutting/slicing weapon, it's somewhat inefficient to use it for piercing attacks.

@WilliB From a Faux Fraudcaster, so believe what you want. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/10/23/police-say-racism-part-picture-in-sweden-school-attack/

Stormtrooper in swedish style ?

WilliB: To me, this looks like a nutcase attack.

Yes, of course, but "nutcase" doesn't sell as many papers as "terrorist".