Mass shooting at Örebro education center shocks Sweden

A mass shooting at an adult education center in Örebro has left 10 people dead, with authorities investigating the attack’s motive.

People embrace in front of candles and flowers at a makeshift vigil in Örebro, Sweden, on February 5, 2025, after a shooting at the Campus Risbergska adult education center, where eleven people were killed. Photo by Christine Olsson/TT/AFP/Getty Images

By Nada Fadiyah and Hayu Andini

A mass shooting at an adult education center in central Sweden on Tuesday left at least 10 people dead and several others injured in what Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has called the worst mass shooting in the nation’s history.

The suspect was among the deceased, according to Sweden’s justice minister, Gunnar Strömmer. However, authorities have released few details regarding the shooter’s identity or possible motive.

“We do not think there is any terror motive behind this, but it is too early in the investigation to say,” said Roberto Eid Forest, the head of local police, during a press conference on Tuesday evening. “We believe we have the perpetrator, but we are not ruling out anything.”

The shooting took place at the Risbergska Educational Center in Örebro, a city located about 120 miles west of Stockholm. The institution, which serves approximately 2,000 students, provides adult education, including high school diploma courses, vocational training, and Swedish-language instruction for immigrants.

Eyewitnesses describe chaos as gunfire erupted

The attack occurred around 12:30 p.m. local time, sending students and staff into panic. Cellphone footage broadcast on Swedish television showed students hiding under desks and others running toward emergency exits as gunfire echoed through the building.

Ingela Back Gustafsson, the center’s principal, recounted the harrowing moments after the attack began.

“I was eating with colleagues when, all of a sudden, a lot of students came running, saying we had to leave,” she told Sweden’s public broadcaster SVT. “When we were out in the schoolyard, I heard a lot of shots nearby. We yelled, ‘Run, run.’ And we ran for our lives.”

Authorities launched an immediate security operation, deploying heavily armed officers to the scene. Schools in the surrounding area were placed on lockdown, and police investigated multiple locations in Örebro as part of their response.

By late Tuesday evening, law enforcement officials confirmed that the gunman appeared to have acted alone and was not known to authorities. However, police have not ruled out the possibility that the attacker had outside assistance.

Sweden grapples with rising gun violence

The shooting has reignited concerns about growing gun violence in Sweden, a country long known for its high living standards, social equality, and progressive policies.

Despite Sweden’s strict gun laws, gang-related crime has surged in recent years, pushing the country’s homicide rate to one of the highest in the European Union. Criminologists attribute this increase to the illegal drug trade and firearms smuggled from Eastern Europe and postwar Balkan nations.

“We have seen a brutal act of violence,” Prime Minister Kristersson said in a televised address. “This is the worst mass shooting in Swedish history.”

In a social media statement, Kristersson expressed sorrow for the victims, writing, “It is a very painful day for all of Sweden. Being locked in a classroom, fearing for your life, is a nightmare that no one should have to experience.”

Authorities investigate shooter’s background

Swedish police are now working to determine what led to the deadly attack. Initial reports suggest the shooter was not affiliated with any criminal gangs, a detail that sets this incident apart from the rising trend of gang violence in Sweden.

A police spokesperson said that investigators were combing through the shooter’s background, looking for any signs of radicalization, grievances, or mental health issues that may have contributed to the attack.

“The suspect was not known to police, and we have found no prior criminal records,” authorities said in a statement. “However, we are conducting a full investigation to determine whether there were warning signs or accomplices.”

Sweden’s history of school violence

While shootings in Swedish schools remain rare, the country has experienced several violent incidents in recent years.

In 2022, an 18-year-old student killed two teachers in Malmö using an axe, a knife, and a hammer.
In 2015, a 21-year-old attacker armed with a sword killed a teacher and a student at a school in southwestern Sweden.
The country set a record for shootings in 2022, with 391 reported gun-related incidents, according to police statistics.

Authorities have acknowledged the need for stronger measures to curb violence, particularly in schools and public spaces. In response to Tuesday’s tragedy, government officials vowed to review security policies for educational institutions across the country.

Shock and grief sweep the nation

The shooting has left Sweden in mourning, with politicians, educators, and residents expressing shock over the unprecedented attack.

“We haven’t had these kinds of shootings in Sweden before,” said Anders Svahn, a teacher at another school in Örebro. “One is very touched and affected by this. I know people who work there.”

Mr. Svahn noted that his own high school, which also offers adult education, recently introduced shelter-in-place drills for the first time—a sign of the country’s growing concern over school safety.

The opposition Left Party’s leader, Nooshi Dadgostar, took to social media to express condolences, writing, “Shocked by the terrible news from Örebro. The violence our country is going through is an abyss we must find our way out of together.”

Schools remain closed as investigation continues

Classes at the Risbergska Educational Center are unlikely to resume on Wednesday, as authorities continue their investigation. It remains unclear whether other schools in the area will reopen in the coming days.

Officials have urged students and faculty members affected by the tragedy to seek counseling services and support. Meanwhile, Sweden’s government is under growing pressure to implement reforms aimed at preventing future acts of violence.

As the nation grapples with the aftermath of its deadliest school shooting, the discussion around public safety, gun laws, and crime prevention is expected to dominate Sweden’s political landscape in the months ahead.