Sword Attack at Swedish School Leaves One Dead

STOCKHOLM: (News Desk) – One person was killed and three others injured after an 18-year-old man armed with a sword entered a high school in Fagersta, central Sweden, on Friday, police said.

Police responded to reports of the attack at Brinellskolan shortly after 2pm local time. Officers entered the school, shot and arrested the suspected attacker, and found one person dead inside.

Police chief Tommy Alriksson said two of the injured victims suffered serious wounds, while another sustained lighter injuries. Two seriously injured boys, aged between 12 and 17, were taken to hospital, with one undergoing emergency surgery. Both were reported to be in stable condition.

Authorities said they were investigating the motive and had no indication that more than one person was involved.

Students who had recently returned from their summer break were placed under lockdown at Brinellskolan and several nearby schools for more than three hours as police secured the area.

The school, which has around 450 students, was surrounded by police vehicles, ambulances and a helicopter following the incident.

Fagersta Mayor Asa-Marta Sjostrom described the attack as a deeply shocking and serious incident, while Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said authorities were working intensively to establish what had happened.

Swedish media reported that the suspect may have had a previous assault conviction and was wearing a helmet while carrying the sword. Police were also examining a social media account reportedly linked to the suspect after posts referencing school attacks were discovered.

The incident has revived concerns over violence at Swedish schools. In February 2025, a gunman killed 10 people at an adult education centre in Orebro in the country’s deadliest mass shooting. In 2022, an 18-year-old student fatally stabbed two teachers at a secondary school in Malmo.