Latest news with #EidForest
The Guardian
05-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Örebro school shooting was one-man operation, police say
The gun attack that left 11 people dead in the Swedish city of Örebro was 'a one-man operation', police have said, as they worked to identify the victims of the country's deadliest mass shooting. The suspected gunman was among the dead and six people were hospitalised after a shooter entered Campus Risbergska, a school specialising in adult education, just after 12.30pm on Tuesday. The Örebro police chief, Roberto Eid Forest, said at a press conference on Wednesday morning that police had not finished identifying the victims. He said there was strong evidence to suggest that the gunman shot himself. 'We still believe that it is a one-man operation. We will return to the exact motives,' he said. Police have said there is nothing to suggest the gunman acted on ideological grounds and that the suspect, who has not been named, had no known connection to criminal gangs. The prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, said 4 February would 'for ever mark a dark day in Swedish history' as he urged the country to come together. He invited party leaders to a meeting with the justice minister and the police authority, and said the meeting would begin with a minute's silence. 'Today, people have woken up to unimaginable sadness and pain. For those who have lost a loved one, life will never be the same again,' he said. 'We are a country in mourning and we must all come together – as a nation, as fellow human beings and as leaders of the parties in the Riksdag. Together, we must help the injured and their families to bear the grief and weight of this day.' Eid Forest said the reason it took so long to inform the public about the death toll was the size of the school premises. 'It took a very long time to search and ensure that we didn't have any more injuries,' he said. Jonas Claesson, the director of health and medical services for the Örebro region, said five of the six people admitted to hospital had initially life-threatening gunshot wounds and were now stable after undergoing surgery. Two of them were being treated in intensive care. A sixth person had minor injuries. The injured were four women and two men. Police urged anybody who was at the school on Tuesday or had footage of the incident to come forward. They asked the public to share only confirmed information. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion A meeting was held in central Örebro for relatives, where Eid Forest said they would be informed about 'the continued work on, among other things, identification and how it will be done'. Kristersson, his justice minister, Gunnar Strömmer, and King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia were due to visit Örebro later on Wednesday. Johanna Sollerman, who works in crime strategy in the municipality and is a crisis manager, said: 'We're going to live with this as a mark for a very long time. However, what we are starting to see is civil society together with the municipality and police really rallying around for citizens of Örebro.' She said they were in the process of setting up centres around the city where victims' families and members of the community could speak to social workers, members of the Red Cross and representatives of churches and mosques. They were also in the process of making decisions about memorial places and a silence of remembrance. She said Campus Risbergska mostly ran education courses for adults, including for those learning Swedish, training in professions such as nursing, and studying to go to university. 'The school is a society of different backgrounds,' she said. Schools in the municipality had been training and practising for how to stop such an incident, she said, because it was known to be a potential risk. 'For a few years now we've been training on how schools should act to stop a lone actor. We've been training in that because we know it can happen.' The municipality had taken a proactive approach to mapping criminals and gangs, she said, but 'this kind of situation is very difficult for us to detect'. She added: 'We've been teaching it, practising it, but to actually go through it is unimaginable. We wouldn't believe in a million years that Örebro would be the scene for this tragedy.'
CBS News
05-02-2025
- CBS News
Sweden mass shooting at school for adults is country's worst ever, with 11 dead including the gunman
Orebro, Sweden — Sweden's worst-ever mass shooting left at least 11 people dead on Tuesday, including the gunman, and at least five seriously wounded at an adult education center west of Stockholm. The gunman's motive hadn't been determined by early Wednesday as the Scandinavian nation — where gun violence at schools is very rare — reeled from an attack with such bloodshed that police early on said it was difficult to count the number of dead among the carnage. Police chief Roberto Eid Forest, for the city of Orebro, about 100 miles west of Stockholm, where the tragedy played out, said Wednesday there was "a lot to indicate that" the gunman had shot himself, saying he was found already dead when police reached him. Officials said Wednesday that three women and two men, all with gunshot wounds, had undergone surgery at Orebro University Hospital. All were in serious but stable condition after being admitted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Another woman was treated for minor injuries and was stable. Jonas Claesson, regional director of health and medical services, said that two of the gunshot victims were in intensive care Wednesday. All the victims are over the age of 18, officials said. No other patients related to the shooting were admitted to Orebro University Hospital overnight. The school, called Campus Risbergska, offers primary and secondary educational classes for adults age 20 and older, Swedish-language classes for immigrants, vocational training and programs for people with intellectual disabilities. The school is on the outskirts of Orebro, which is about 125 miles west of Stockholm. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer called the shooting "an event that shakes our entire society to its core." King Carl XVI Gustaf and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the Royal Palace and government buildings. The king and Queen Silvia were in Orebro and would visit the school district and attend a memorial service in the city, the palace said. Kristersson and Strömmer would also be there. Soccer teams Degerfors IF and Orebro Syrianska will wear black armbands at a preseason match on Wednesday evening and hold a minute's silence before kickoff, Degerfors said. The shooting started Tuesday afternoon after many students had gone home following a national exam. Students sheltered in nearby buildings, and other parts of the school were evacuated following the shooting. Eid Forest, head of the local police, said the school's large premises meant it took a long time for officers to search the campus to ensure there were not any more victims. Police heard gunshots when they arrived and initially thought they were being fired upon, he said. Eid Forest said six officers were treated for smoke inhalation. There wasn't a fire, he said, and authorities didn't immediately know what caused the smoke. Investigators will spend Wednesday seeking information from witnesses and checking any video of the attack. Police wouldn't say whether the shooter had multiple guns. There were no warnings beforehand, and police believe the perpetrator acted alone. Police haven't said if the man was a student at the school. They haven't released a possible motive, but authorities said there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point. Police raided the suspect's home after Tuesday's shooting, but it wasn't immediately clear what they found. They cautioned the public against spreading incorrect narratives on social media. "Today, we have witnessed brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people," the prime minister told reporters in Stockholm late Tuesday. "This is the worst mass shooting in Swedish history. Many questions remain unanswered, and I cannot provide those answers either. "But the time will come when we will know what happened, how it could occur, and what motives may have been behind it. Let us not speculate," he said. While gun violence at schools is very rare in Sweden, people were wounded or killed with other weapons such as knives or axes in several incidents in recent years. Gun ownership is legal in Sweden, but the country's laws on firearms are strict, with "the right to possess weapons, even for protection purposes," requiring a license granted only with explicit permission from the police force, which must be applied for in advance of any intended purchase. Licensed gun owners must carry their documentation with them at all times when in possession of firearms, and the country's laws cover not only guns but weapons that fire or deploy tear gas.
Chicago Tribune
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
About 10 killed at adult education center in what officials say is Sweden's worst mass shooting
About 10 people, including the gunman, were killed on Tuesday at an adult education center in what Sweden's prime minister called the country's worst mass shooting. But a final death toll, a conclusive number of wounded and a motive hadn't yet been determined hours later. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson gave a news conference in the aftermath of the tragedy, which happened on the outskirts of Orebro. The city is located about 125 miles west of Stockholm. The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students 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 programs for people with intellectual disabilities. 'Today, we have witnessed brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people,' Kristersson told reporters in Stockholm. 'This is the worst mass shooting in Swedish history. Many questions remain unanswered, and I cannot provide those answers either. 'But the time will come when we will know what happened, how it could occur, and what motives may have been behind it. Let us not speculate,' he said. 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. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer called the shooting 'an event that shakes our entire society to its core.' While Swedes read about such violence in other places, Strömmer said that the country previously felt it wouldn't happen there. Other tragedies in Swedish schools weren't to the extent of Tuesday's attack, he said, calling it 'indescribably sad' for the community. The shooting also sent shockwaves through Europe, with officials in Brussels expressing their outrage at the carnage. 'What happened today in Örebro is truly horrifying,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media. 'Such violence and terror have no place in our societies — least of all in schools. In this dark hour, we stand with the people of Sweden.' The damage at the crime scene was so extensive that investigators were unable to be more definitive about the number of fatalities, said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police. Police said that the death toll could rise. Eid Forest told reporters that the suspected gunman was among those killed. Police believe the perpetrator acted alone, and he wasn't previously known to police, officials said. Authorities said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point, but police didn't provide a motive. 'Of course, we all want to understand why this happened, what occurred, and what motives the perpetrator may have had,' Kristersson said. 'We will have to wait for those answers — in due time, the picture will become clearer.' Police raided the suspect's home after Tuesday's shooting, but it wasn't immediately clear what they found. Eid Forest said there were no warning signs before the attack. Authorities were working to identify the deceased. Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf praised police and the rescue and medical personnel who responded to the shooting, and issued words of comfort to the families of the victims. 'It is with sadness and dismay that my family and I have received the information about the terrible atrocity in Örebro,' the monarch said in a statement. 'We send our condolences tonight to the families and friends of the deceased. Our thoughts at this time also go to the injured and their relatives, as well as to others affected.' 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). Andreas Sundling, 28, was among those forced to barricade themselves inside the school. 'We heard three bangs and loud screams,' he told Expressen newspaper while sheltering in a classroom.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
About 10 killed in shooting at adult education center in Sweden
Swedish police said that about 10 people, including the gunman, were killed during a shooting Tuesday at an adult education center. But a final death toll and a conclusive number of wounded hadn't yet been determined. The damage at the crime scene was so extensive that investigators were unable to be more definitive, said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police. The shooting happened on the outskirts of the city of Orebro, which is located about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Stockholm. Police said that the death toll could rise. Eid Forest told reporters that the suspected gunman was among those killed. Police believe the perpetrator acted alone. He wasn't previously known to police, officials said. 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 programs for people with intellectual disabilities. 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. Police said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point in Tuesday's shooting. Eid Forest said there were no warning signs before the attack. Authorities were working to identify the deceased. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will hold a news conference at 7:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT) alongside Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, Earlier, 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.' 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). Andreas Sundling, 28, was among those forced to barricade themselves inside the school. 'We heard three bangs and loud screams,' he told Expressen newspaper while sheltering in a classroom. ___ Geir Moulson contributed to this report from Berlin. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Los Angeles Times
04-02-2025
- Los Angeles Times
About 10 killed in shooting at adult education center in Sweden
OREBRO, Sweden — Swedish police said that about 10 people, including the gunman, were killed during a shooting Tuesday at an adult education center. But a final death toll and a conclusive number of wounded hadn't been determined. The damage at the crime scene was so extensive that investigators were unable to be more definitive, said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police. The shooting happened on the outskirts of the city of Orebro, about 125 miles west of Stockholm. Police said that the death toll could rise. Eid Forest told reporters that the suspected gunman was among those killed. Police believe the perpetrator acted alone and wasn't previously known to police, officials said. The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students 20 and older, according to its website. Primary and upper secondary school courses are offered, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training and programs for people with intellectual disabilities. 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. Police said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism. Eid Forest said there were no warning signs before the attack. Authorities were working to identify the deceased. 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.' The shooting erupted after many students had gone home following a national exam. Police vehicles and ambulances, their 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. Dazio writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
