Sweden school sword attack leaves one dead, three injured

An 18-year-old armed with a sword attacked students at Brinell High School in Fagersta, killing one person and injuring three before police shot and detained him. The assault triggered a town-wide lockdown, drew condolences from Swedish leaders and left investigators probing a possible social media link.

In Short

• The assault happened at Brinell High School after the summer break
• Police said the first responding patrol subdued the attacker with gunfire
• Two teenage boys suffered serious injuries, while another victim was discharged

An 18-year-old man armed with a sword attacked students at a high school in central Sweden on Friday, killing one person and injuring three others before police shot and detained him on suspicion of murder.

The attack took place at Brinell High School in Fagersta, a town of around 13,000 people, shortly after the school reopened following the summer break. For some students, it was their first day back.

Police said the suspect, an 18-year-old man, was shot by officers and taken into custody. The circumstances surrounding the attack remained under investigation.

Local police chief Tommy Alriksson said officers responded quickly after receiving reports of violence at the school, which has around 450 students aged between 16 and 20.

"The first patrol entered and let us know that the perpetrator was subdued with gunfire," Alriksson said at a press conference.

Swedish public broadcaster SVT, citing unnamed sources, reported that the attacker was wearing a helmet and carrying a sword and was a former student at the school. The report also said he had a previous conviction for assault.

The local health authority said two of the injured victims were teenage boys who were seriously hurt. A third injured person was treated and later released from hospital.

'I SAW A GUY ALL COVERED IN BLOOD'

Students described scenes of panic as the school was placed under lockdown for around five hours.

"First it was just a regular day really. But then ... I saw a guy all covered in blood, at least down his back anyway. Then I saw the police and they flooded in," student Nellie told Reuters alongside her mother, Agnes Strandberg.

Another student, Abdulrahem Salmo, told SVT that he saw one victim with a bloody stab wound to the arm.

"Then people called the police and we just all ran from there because we were afraid," he said.

Several other schools and public buildings in Fagersta were also initially placed under lockdown as authorities responded to the attack.

Fagersta Mayor Asa-Marta Sjostrom said the incident had deeply shaken the small town.

"Our and the school's main focus right now is to take care of our students and our employees," she said. "We are working together ... to create safety and provide support to those who need it."

SWEDISH LEADERS EXPRESS GRIEF

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson cancelled a speech scheduled for Saturday following the attack, news agency TT reported.

"Our thoughts are with all those affected," Kristersson wrote on X.

King Carl XVI Gustaf said he received news of the attack "with dismay and sadness", according to a statement released by the royal household.

Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson, whose centre-left coalition leads opinion polls ahead of next month's parliamentary election, said: "All of Sweden stands together with Fagersta at this difficult time."

POLICE PROBE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT

Authorities were also examining a TikTok account in connection with the attack, according to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

The account reportedly posted a picture of a sword around 20 minutes before the attack. Dagens Nyheter reported that details in the background suggested the picture may have been taken in a school restroom.

The month-old account was taken down on Friday. Before its removal, it reportedly contained videos referring to two previous episodes of mass violence in Sweden and Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik.

It was not immediately clear whether the account was linked to the suspect or whether the posts had any direct connection to the attack.

SWEDEN'S HISTORY OF SCHOOL ATTACKS

The incident comes after several deadly attacks at Swedish schools in recent years.

Sweden's deadliest school shooting took place in February 2025 in the south-central city of Orebro, when a gunman killed 10 people before taking his own life.

In 2015, a masked attacker armed with a sword killed a teaching assistant and two students at a school in Trollhattan in western Sweden. Police later said the attack was racially motivated. The attacker was shot dead by police.

The investigation into Friday's attack in Fagersta remains ongoing, with authorities working to establish the suspect's motive and reconstruct the events inside the school.

- Ends
With inputs from Reuters