Police in Sweden said Tuesday that “about 10 people” were killed in a shooting earlier in the day at a school for adults in the city of Orebro, west of Stockholm. The police offered very little information on the incident throughout the most of the day, saying only that five people were wounded, including the suspected shooter, before suddenly confirming the initial death toll at about 6 p.m. local time (noon Eastern).
The shooting occurred at the Campus Risbergska school, which, according to its website, is for students over the age of 20. The Reuters news agency said the adult education center is on campus that includes children’s schools.
Local police chief Roberto Eid Forest told reporters that the suspected shooter was among those who had died, but he stressed that the ongoing investigation was complicated and they were still working to identify the victims and confirm the death toll. The national police force said in a separate message that the “total number of injured” remained uncertain.
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Officials said the motive remained unknown, but there were not believed to be any additional perpetrators.
Before the fatalities were confirmed Forest said the “the investigation is somewhat unclear,” according to The Associated Press, including “whether the shooting took place inside the school (building) or whether there may be more perpetrators.”
“One of the injured persons is a person whom we suspect may be the assailant,” Forest said at a news conference with medical officials, as the massive police operation continued more than three hours after the attack. “We can’t rule out other suspects, and that’s something we are continuing to work on in this intensive phase now — why it happened and if there are other possible suspects.”
Medical officials said four of five wounded people had undergone surgery, including one whose injuries were serious. The AP cited a regional medical director as saying two others were in stable condition and a third was only slightly wounded. No police officers were shot, the force confirmed.
A statement attributed to National Police Chief Petra Lundh said, “Our thoughts go out to the victims and their families.”
“A major operation is currently underway at a school in Västhaga, Orebro,” the police said in an earlier statement posted online, urging members of the public “to stay away from the Västhaga area” or, if not possible, to remain inside their homes.
“The operation concerns threats of deadly violence,” the police said.
“The extent of the injuries is unclear,” the police said, adding a reference to charges of “attempted murder, arson and aggravated weapons offense.”
Sweden’s laws on firearm ownership are strict, with “the right to possess weapons, even for protection purposes,” requiring a license granted only with explicit permission from the police force, which must be applied for in advance of any intended purchase. A licensed gun owner must carry the document with them at all times when in possession of a weapon, and the law covers not only firearms but weapons that fire or deploy tear gas.
