Sweden school sword attack: 17-year-old girl identified as victim
Police in Sweden have confirmed that the victim of Friday's sword attack at a high school in Fagersta was a 17-year-old girl. The attack took place at the Brinell School in the central Swedish town, leaving two boys, aged 12 and 17, seriously injured. A third person sustained minor injuries, local authorities said.
An 18-year-old man, who has not been publicly named, has been arrested. Police are treating the incident as murder and attempted murder, according to a statement.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and opposition leader Magdalena Andersson visited the school on Saturday morning, where mourners have laid flowers in tribute to the victims. The attack occurred shortly after students had returned to classes following the summer break.
Police said they fired shots after arriving at the scene, but have not confirmed whether the suspect was struck before being detained. Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported that the suspect was wearing a helmet at the time. Local media also identified him as a former student, though this has not been officially confirmed.
A state of emergency was declared in the region on Friday but had been lifted by Saturday. The school, which has just under 500 students, is located approximately 170 kilometres north-west of Stockholm.
Investigators have carried out two house searches in connection with the suspect, police said. In a post on X, Prime Minister Kristersson described the attack as a "serious incident" and noted that authorities were working intensively to understand what happened. Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf said he received the news "with dismay and sadness."
The attack has shocked Fagersta, a town of about 13,000 residents. Municipal officials have arranged for counselling services to be available for students and staff, local media reported. The school remained closed on Monday as authorities continued their investigation.
Police have urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information on social media, stressing that the investigation is in its early stages. The suspect's identity has not been released due to Swedish privacy laws, which are strict in such cases. The incident has prompted renewed discussions about school safety in Sweden, while officials have called for calm as legal proceedings move forward.
