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Swedish Police Find no Evidence of Ideological Motives in Mass Shooting


The Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, declared the recent attack as the ‘worst mass shooting in Swedish history.’

Swedish authorities have stated that there is no evidence of “ideological motives” behind the mass shooting that took place at an adult education center.

On February 4th, Swedish police confirmed that about 10 individuals were killed in an attack at an adult education center in Orebro, a city with a population of over 100,000 in central Sweden. The suspected perpetrator was later found dead, resulting in a total of 11 fatalities.

According to an online statement by Swedish police, they stated, “We want to clarify that, based on current investigative and intelligence information, there is no indication that the perpetrator acted on ideological motives.”

The motive behind the crime remains unknown, as per the police statement.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the incident as the “worst mass shooting in Swedish history.”

Suspected Shooter Found Dead

During a press conference on the morning of February 5th, covered by national public television broadcaster SVT, the local police chief Roberto Eid Forest revealed that the suspected gunman was found deceased when the police arrived at the adult school campus.

Forest mentioned that the police could not confirm reports suggesting that the suspect had committed suicide.

Forest added that there were no new details concerning the number of casualties, which remains at 11.

He also stated that not all of the deceased have been identified yet, but identification efforts are ongoing.

6 Patients

During the press conference, Jonas Claesson, Orebro hospital director, provided updates on the six patients who were admitted to the hospital.

Claesson mentioned that there were four women and two men, all above 18 years of age.

He informed that initially, five individuals had suffered life-threatening gunshot wounds, but after surgery, their conditions are now stable. The sixth person sustained minor injuries.

In a previous statement, the police mentioned that there were no general threats against schools or preschools in the country, including adult education schools that offer Swedish classes for immigrants.

The police assured the public that there is no current danger to the public, despite acknowledging the concerns raised by the incident.

It’s a common practice in Sweden not to name criminals in the media until they are convicted.

Campus Risbergska

The shooting occurred at a campus that houses several schools for both children and adults.

The shooting took place at a school named Campus Risbergska, which caters to students above 20 years old, offering primary and secondary school courses, Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training, and programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Footage from the scene revealed a heavy police presence and emergency vehicles, with students seeking shelter in nearby buildings as other parts of the school were evacuated following the shooting.

The police confirmed that no officers were injured during the incident.

On February 5th, authorities reported that six police officers required hospitalization after inhaling smoke inside the school.

Authorities stated, “They have been discharged from the healthcare facility and are in good condition.”

Sweden has been grappling with gang violence, which has significantly increased over the past two decades, leading to the highest per capita fatal gun violence in Europe in 2023.

Stockholm alone has witnessed over 30 bomb explosions since the year began, although fatal attacks at educational institutions are infrequent.

Reuters and Guy Birchall contributed to this report.



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