Masked swordsman kills two in Sweden school attack
October 22, 2015
"One of the four people brought to hospital has died," hospital spokesman Nicklas Claesson told reporters on Thursday.
Maria Randsalu, a police spokeswoman, confirmed that the second victim of the attack was a male student. She didn't provide more details about the boy.
Earlier in the day, Swedish media reported that a masked man brandishing a sword attacked the Kronan school in the small Swedish town of Trollhattan near Gothenburg, killing a teacher and injuring at least three other people, including children. The attack took place in the school's cafe area.
Swedish police said they shot the assailant, who died after being sent to a local hospital for treatment.
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven was due to visit the school later on Thursday.
"This is a black day for Sweden," the prime minister said in a statement. "My thoughts go out to the victims and their families, the students and staff, and the entire community. No words can describe what they are going through right now."
Lax security
Media reports claim that the assailant had donned a Star Wars mask, and the students initially took it as a Halloween prank.
"When we first saw him, we thought it was a joke. He was wearing a mask and black clothes and [carrying] a long sword. Some students wanted to take their picture with him and feel the sword," one unidentified student told news agency TT, which said that the masked man used several knives in the attack.
According to Kronan's website, there are about 400 children studying at the school, ranging from pre-school to high school, including a number of newly-arrived migrants.
The Swedish Schools Inspectorate criticized the school in the past for its lax security. Some parents were unhappy with the way the school administration handled the crisis.
Trollhattan is an industrial town of about 57,000 inhabitants. It is home to the former Swedish carmaker Saab which filed for bankruptcy in 2011.
shs/msh (AP, AFP)