At least 10 people were killed in a school shooting in Sweden on Tuesday, with police officers confirming the suspected gunman also died after carrying out what is being described as the worst mass shooting ever to happen in the European country.
Authorities said the shooting took place at an adult education center in the city of Örebro, about 125 miles west of Stockholm, where multiple schools share the same campus, the BBC reports.
Police said officers were first alerted around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, triggering a large-scale response that involved sealing off the area and instructing people to take shelter.
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A lone perpetrator reportedly opened fire inside Campus Risbergska, a site that offers programs for adult learners and also hosts classes for younger students on adjacent grounds.
Police have released only a few details of the suspect, who was not previously known to authorities and had no known affiliation with criminal gangs.
Örebro Police Chief Roberto Eid Forest told media that the individual’s motives were not immediately clear, though there was no indication of gang or ideological connections.
The suspect’s age was reported by some media outlets to be 35, and there were unconfirmed accounts that he may have taken his own life during the incident.
Relatives of the suspect told the Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet that he had minimal contact with his family and described him as a “recluse.” Though it didn’t cite its sources, the public broadcaster SVT reports that the suspect used a hunting weapon during the shooting, Reuters notes.
Many were injured, with at least five gunshot victims receiving treatment at a local university hospital, according to Jonas Claesson, the regional healthcare director, according to CNN. At least four underwent surgery, including two who were reported to be in stable condition afterward.
The incident prompted a continued search of the campus as authorities worked to rule out additional attackers. Police said they were investigating several addresses in Örebro and had opened inquiries into murder, arson and an aggravated weapons offense.
Reports from the scene described chaotic conditions as students and teachers barricaded themselves in classrooms and offices.
One local teacher said individuals realized the seriousness of the situation after hearing repeated gunfire in a hallway. Another teacher reported that there was a pause between bursts of shooting, leading some inside to remain still for as long as an hour without leaving their rooms.
Video footage circulated on various platforms purportedly showed students taking cover under desks and the attacker walking through the corridors, The Telegraph.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson offered condolences for those who lost their lives and for the injured.
“We’ve today seen brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people — this is the worst mass shooting in Swedish history,” he said during a press conference.
Gunnar Strömmer, the country’s justice minister, called the shooting an extremely sad tragedy, even as government buildings and the royal palaces were set to lower flags to half-mast in recognition of the casualties.
King Carl XVI Gustaf extended condolences to the families and friends of the deceased. He acknowledged the efforts of emergency services.
Fatal attacks in Swedish schools are considered relatively uncommon, but the country has experienced gun violence linked to other forms of criminal activity in recent years.
