Sweden’s police have declared that the shooting at the Risbergska School in Orebro, located about 200 kilometers west of Stockholm, has claimed the lives of 11 people.
In an earlier report, five people were announced to have been shot and wounded.
The tragic event occurred at 12:33 p.m. local time (11:44 GMT). The gunman, who had no known connections to gangs or terrorism, is believed to be among those killed.
The reasons behind this crime remain a mystery, and details about the injured individuals are still unclear, local police chief Roberto Eid Forest said.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed deep sorrow, saying that this incident is the worst mass shooting in the country’s history.
The Risbergska School is a center where adults, many immigrants trying to enhance their education and job prospects, come to learn and rebuild their futures.
The tragedy highlights the broader challenges Sweden faces with violence, which has resulted in the highest rate of gun violence per capita in the European Union.
The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention announced that between 2010 and 2022, 10 people were killed in seven separate violent incidents in Sweden’s schools.
While many Swedes own guns for hunting, the rise of illegal firearms linked to gang activity poses a significant threat.
Previous incidents, like the 2015 murder of a teaching assistant and the 2017 truck attack in Stockholm, serve as reminders of the unending threats to public safety.
IRNA
