Swedish National Police Bell 429 (SE-JPS) (Photo: Forza (CC))

UPDATE 5 FEB 2025, 19:05 CET | Ten people have been killed and at least six wounded by a lone 35-year-old gunman at a school for adults in Örebro, Central Sweden, around 12:30 CET on Tuesday 4 February 2025. The gunman reportedly killed himself, making eleven in total.

Roberto Eid Forest, area chief for the Örebro police, confirmed the dead during a press conference in the afternoon. According to the regional health care services (Region Örebro Län) at least six grown-ups were transported to hospital. Four of them – all with gun shot wounds – were operated on, one is reportedly in critical condition. The other two had less severe wounds, initial reports say, with one of these two without gun shot wounds. The numbers of fatalities and wounded are still uncertain, and could rise the next couple of days.

Lone gunman, unknown to police

Swedish police say the shooting was not a terror crime, and that the gunman was – as far as the police knows – not involved in gangs or organised crime. A day after the shooting Swedish broadcasting company SVT and other Swedish media identified Rickard Andersson, living in a one-room apartment in Örebro, as the gunman. He reportedly had a licence for several weapons and was a student of mathematics at the school, the Risbergska Komvux, where he opened fire.

Shortly after the shooting, reporters on scene also have said smoke was seen at one part of the school. Patrick Ungsäter, Police Chief for the Region Närke (to which Örebro belongs), confirmed to a TV reporter of Aftonbladet that police officers that went into the school had to operate in smokey conditions. Swedish police has confirmed the perpetrator is suspected of murder, manslaughter, arson with risk for live, and serious offence of the weapons law.

School violence has become more regular at Swedish schools, including stabbings and shootings – as late as around last Christmas – but not at a scale as seen today.

Worst mass shooting in Sweden

“What has happened today, is not something that should happen. This is the worst mass-shooting in Swedish history,” said Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson during a press conference at 19:37 CET. Earlier noticeable Swedish school killings were in Trollhättan in 2017 (3 killed by a 21-year-old armed with sword and knife) and in Malmö 2022 (2 female teachers killed by an 18-year-old student). In modern times, not so many people were killed in a single violent incident in Sweden as today in Örebro.

Locked inside

The Swedish police acted with mass force after the alert signal was given, including dispatching regular officers, SWAT teams and one or two helicopters that were dispatched to the school in the Västhaga area of Örebro. At least ten ambulances and multiple fire trucks were sent to the school. Around this school many other schools down to preschools are located. School staff and students stayed locked inside their classrooms and offices until about 14:50, when alerted police gave the all-clear signal.

About Örebro

Örebro, is like many other Swedish cities. It had its fair share of gang violence and other crimes, but lately it was mostly Stockholm that made the news. In many ways, Örebro is a normal Swedish city with areas with more troubles and areas that have less.

The number of gun killings was just declining in Sweden during the last two years. But when it comes to violence, January was a sad new milestone with 30 attacks with explosives in one month time. | © 2025 Marcel Burger, nordicreporter.com. Photo: Swedish National Police Bell 429 helicopter, this one was seen in the skies above the school in Örebro. The photo used here was taken earlier in Stockholm (Photo: Forza (CC))