No Evidence of Ideological Motives Behind Mass Shooting: Swedish Police

Emergency services work at the scene of shooting at Campus Risbergska School, in Örebro, Sweden, on Feb. 4, 2025. Pontus Lundahl/TT News Agency via AP

Swedish police say that there is no evidence of “ideological motives” behind a mass shooting at an adult education centre.

Police in Sweden said on Tuesday that around 10 people had been killed in an attack at an adult education center in Orebro, a city of more than 100,000 people, in central Sweden. The suspect is believed to have been found dead, bringing the total number of fatalities to 11.

“We want to be clear that based on investigative and intelligence information at present, there is no information pointing to the culprit acting on ideological motives,” police said in a statement on its website.

Police have said the motive for the crime was not immediately known.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the attack as the “worst mass shooting in Swedish history.”

Suspected Shooter Found Dead

In a press conference on Wednesday morning covered by national public television broadcaster SVT, local police chief Roberto Eid Forest said the suspected gunman was found dead when police entered the adult school campus.

“When police arrived at the scene, gunfire was heard. The understanding is that they were initially fired upon. During the subsequent search of the premises, the suspected shooter was found deceased,” said Forest.

He added that the police could not confirm reports circulating that the suspect had taken their own life.

He said there are no new details regarding deaths and that the number still stands at 11.

He said not all of the deceased have been fully identified but that intensive work is still ongoing.

6 Patients

At the conference, Orebro hospital director, Jonas Claesson, gave updates on six patients who were admitted to the hospital.

He said that there were four women and two men, all over 18 years old.

He said five people initially had life-threatening gunshot wounds but that all have been operated on and their conditions are now described as stable. The sixth person has minor injuries.

Police said in a previous statement that it did not see any general threat against schools or preschools in the country, nor against adult education schools, including Swedish classes for immigrants.

“We also at present don’t see any danger to the public, even if we understand that the incident raises concerns and many questions,” it said.

In Sweden, there is an unwritten rule that newspapers normally don’t name criminals until they are convicted.

Campus Risbergska

The shooting took place in a campus area where several schools, for both children and adults, are located.

The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students over the age of 20, according to its website.

Primary and upper secondary school courses are offered, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training, and programs for people with intellectual disabilities.

A video from the scene showed a large police presence and emergency vehicles. Students sheltered in nearby buildings. Other parts of the school were evacuated following the shooting.

Police said that no officers were shot.

Authorities said on Feb. 5 that six police officers had to go to hospital after inhaling smoke inside the school.

“They have been allowed to leave the health care system and are doing well,” authorities said.

The country has been plagued by gang violence, which has dramatically escalated over the past two decades. In 2023, it recorded the highest level of fatal gun violence per capita in Europe.

More than 30 bomb blasts have hit Stockholm since the start of the year.

However, fatal attacks at schools are rare.

Reuters and Guy Birchall contributed to this report.