Swedish police say 10 killed in shooting at adult education centre

It wasn't immediately clear whether the gunman was among the dead they said and believed to be among those hospitalised

Orebro (Sweden): Swedish police said that about 10 people were killed during a shooting on Tuesday at an adult education centre.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the gunman was among the dead. He was believed to be among those hospitalised. Police didn’t immediately know how many people were injured in the shooting.

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Police said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point. They didn’t immediately know how many people were wounded in the shooting on the outskirts of the city of Orebro, located about 200 kilometres (125 miles) west of Stockholm. Authorities were working to identify the deceased. They didn’t immediately provide an exact number of fatalities.

Gun violence at schools is very rare in Sweden. But, there have been several incidents in recent years in which people were wounded or killed with other weapons such as knives or axes.

The local head of police, Roberto Eid Forest, told reporters that investigators were working to determine more information about the shooting. “The investigation is somewhat unclear,” he said during the briefing. “It is unclear whether the shooting took place inside the school (building) or whether there may be more perpetrators.”

Police said that no officers were shot. The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students who are over age 20, according to its website. Primary and upper secondary school courses are offered, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training and programmes for people with intellectual disabilities.

The shooting erupted after many students had gone home following a national exam.

Police vehicles and ambulances, lights flashing, blanketed the parking lots and streets around the school as a helicopter buzzed overhead.

Teacher Lena Warenmark told SVT News that there were unusually few students on the campus Tuesday afternoon after the exam. She also told the broadcaster that she heard probably 10 gunshots. Students sheltered in nearby buildings. Other parts of the school were evacuated following the shooting, which began at around 12:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT). Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that it was “a very painful day for all of Sweden,” Swedish media reported.

“My thoughts are also with all those whose normal school day was exchanged for terror,” Kristersson said. “Being confined to a classroom with fear for your own life is a nightmare that no one should have to experience.”