Man with sword injures several at Swedish high school in Fagersta
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A man armed with a sword injured several people at Brinell high school in Fagersta, central Sweden, on Friday afternoon. One person was taken into custody, and police said there was no longer any danger to the public. Several other schools and public buildings in Fagersta were placed in lockdown after the attack.
Key Facts
- The attack occurred at Brinell high school in Fagersta, which has about 450 students aged 16 to 20.
- Police received a call about "ongoing deadly violence at a school in Fagersta" and took one person into custody.
- Several other schools and public buildings in Fagersta were placed in lockdown, including Olympen, Fagerstahallen, Risbroskolan, Skogsglantan, Bjorksta, Prastkragen, and Norrbybacken.
- Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the government is in close contact with police and monitoring developments.
- The incident comes a year after a school shooting in Orebro, also in central Sweden, where a gunman killed 10 people.
The Attack
A man armed with a sword entered Brinellskolan high school in Fagersta, central Sweden, on Friday afternoon and wounded several people. The school has some 450 students aged 16 to 20, according to Reuters. Fagersta municipality said the suspect had been detained by police, and police confirmed one person was taken into custody. A police spokesperson told Reuters there was no longer any danger to the public. Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported that ambulances, police cars, and a police helicopter were outside the school in the small city of about 12,000 people.
Lockdown and Response
Several other schools and public buildings in Fagersta were placed in lockdown after the sword attack, including Olympen, Fagerstahallen, Risbroskolan, Skogsglantan, Bjorksta, Prastkragen, and Norrbybacken. Police urged the public to respect roadblocks and listen to police instructions. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a statement on X that a serious incident had occurred right after the summer break and that police were working intensively. Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the government was closely following the situation and in close contact with police. Labour Party leader Magdalena Andersson said, "All of Sweden stands together with Fagersta at this difficult time."
Context and Investigation
Police spokesman Pelle Vamstad said an alarm was received early on Friday afternoon and police rushed to the scene. Authorities said they would look for camera footage that could be used in the preliminary investigation. The incident comes a year after a school shooting in Orebro, also in central Sweden, when a gunman killed 10 people before turning the weapon on himself, in the worst mass shooting in Swedish history. In March 2022, an 18-year-old student fatally stabbed two teachers at a secondary school in Malmo.
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Man with sword injures several at Swedish high school in Fagersta
