Sword attack in Fagersta: 17-year-old killed, suspect in custody
A 17-year-old girl died in a sword attack at a school in Swedish Fagersta, with three teenagers injured. An 18-year-old is in custody on suspicion of murder.
Schoolgirl in Fagersta random victim of sword attack – 18-year-old in custody
A 17-year-old girl was killed on Friday in a sword attack at a school in Fagersta, north-west of Stockholm. According to reporting, three additional teenagers were injured in the attack, two of them seriously. One of the injured has since been released from hospital; two boys aged between 12 and 17 are continuing to receive in-patient treatment, with their condition described as stable.
The identity of the victim was confirmed by the newspaper "Fagersta-Posten" on Saturday morning, citing the family. "We have lost a girl who had her whole future ahead of her," the newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" quoted a teacher of the deceased.
Police treat victim as random
According to local police chief Tommy Alriksson, there is nothing so far to suggest the girl was deliberately targeted. The news agency TT quoted Alriksson's assessment that the 17-year-old was rather a chance target of the attacker.
The alarm came in on Friday at 14:06. By 14:16, the suspected perpetrator had been overcome and arrested following a police operation; during this, police stated they fired shots. The 18-year-old suspect did not require medical treatment afterwards.
Murder charge and early investigation phase
The 18-year-old was shortly after taken into custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. The prosecution described the proceedings as being in an "early and intensive stage". Approximately 80 people have so far been interviewed; investigators intend to question nearly all pupils and staff at the school. In addition, two addresses linked to the suspect have been searched.
Multiple media outlets consistently report that the 18-year-old was himself a pupil at the school and had an access card for the building.
Indications of far-right background
No confirmed findings have yet emerged regarding the motive. However, initial investigations by Swedish media point to a far-right background. The newspapers "Expressen" and "Dagens Nyheter" examined the suspect's social media profiles: there he shared self-made videos in which he glorified mass shooters and mass murderers – including far-right extremist and terrorist Anders Breivik. He also reportedly shared posts from the populist Sweden Democrats party and the Alternative for Sweden, as well as content from the far-right sphere on TikTok.
Particular significance appears to be attached to references to Anton Lundin Pettersson, who in 2015 killed three pupils with a sword at Kronan school in Swedish Trollhättan; a teacher subsequently died of his injuries in hospital. The Fagersta suspect reportedly wore clothing in several posts resembling that of Lundin Pettersson at the time of the offence: black mask, helmet, long black coat and sword.
TikTok image shortly before the attack
Additionally, it is being investigated whether the attack was announced beforehand. According to media reports, shortly before the attack, an image appeared on TikTok which reportedly shows the suspected weapon – a medieval-looking sword. The authenticity of the image has not yet been verified.
Mourning in the city, politicians visit Fagersta
The attack has deeply shaken the town of around 10,000 inhabitants. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and opposition leader Magdalena Andersson visited Fagersta together on Saturday. Flowers were laid and candles lit at a memorial site.
The public broadcaster SVT quoted a friend of the deceased: "I laughed with no one at school as much as with her. It is so unfair that it will never be like that again."
Source: WELT