Girl, 17, confirmed dead after sword attack at Swedish school as man, 18, arrested
Three others were hurt, including two boys aged 12 and 17 who were seriously injured, in the fatal assault at Brinell School in Fagersta on Friday.
A 17-year-old girl has died after a teenager attacked students in Sweden armed with a sword while classes were underway, reports say.
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Three others were hurt, including two boys aged 12 and 17 who were seriously injured, in the fatal assault at Brinell School in Fagersta on Friday.
The third victim, also under 18, suffered less serious injuries and has been discharged from hospital, according to Swedish news agency TT.
Police are investigating whether the 18-year-old suspect, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder and several counts of attempted murder, was involved in online communities promoting school violence.
Officers are probing a TikTok account that posted a picture of a sword 20 minutes before the assault belonged to the suspect, a source told Reuters.
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The image reportedly appeared to have been taken in a restroom at the school.
The month-old account contained videos that referred to two episodes of mass violence in Sweden and to Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik before it was taken down.
One of the videos referenced a 2015 attack in which a masked swordsman killed a teaching assistant and two boys at a school in Trollhattan, western Sweden, before being shot dead by police.
"The investigators are looking into various online communities which might have egged on the suspect to carry out the attack," a police source said.
Several party leaders cancelled planned speeches on Saturday, pausing campaigning ahead of the September 13 election.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and opposition leader Magdalena Andersson travelled to Fagersta to offer condolences to the bereaved family and visit the injured.
"What should never happen has happened again," Kristerssontold reporters in Fagersta.
"Our thoughts go first and foremostto the families who have been incredibly hard hit by this," he said.
Sweden's worst mass shooting occurred in February 2025 at a school in the south-central city of Orebro, when a gunman killed 10 people before turning the gun on himself.
On Saturday, the police clarified that the suspect in the Fagersta attack had not been shot, despite reports claiming that they had.
"Service weapons were used but the perpetrator has not been injured in connection with the arrest, and has not been in need of medical attention," a police spokesperson told the Aftonbladet daily.
Prosecutors ordered the man's detention on suspicion of murder and several counts of attempted murder.