Horrifying footage has emerged from Risbergska School in Örebro, Sweden, showing students fleeing for their lives as gunfire erupted on Tuesday afternoon.
At least five people were shot at the adult education establishment in the city’s Västhaga district, with fears the casualty count may rise. Aftonbladet reported that local hospitals are clearing emergency rooms and intensive care units in anticipation of more victims.
A Snapchat video shared by a student captures the chaotic scene, with screams echoing as students sprint away from the sound of gunshots.
Footage from the school shooting in Sweden
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Why have we brought these people here? pic.twitter.com/z0Fl339iWK
Another video circulating online shows armed police surrounding the school. A body can be seen lying on the pavement outside, though it remains unclear whether this was the shooter or a victim. Inside the school, images published by Swedish media show students barricading classroom doors with furniture as alarms blare.
Emergency personnel were seen transporting victims of the #Örebro shooting incident to nearby hospitals, according to footage circulating on social media. #sweden
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The shooting occurred around 1 pm local time, after many students had left following a national exam. Witness Magnus Håkansson told Expressen he heard bangs and was ordered to lie down by police, witnessing “a lot of blood.” Lena Warenmark, a teacher at Risbergska, told SVT that she heard approximately ten gunshots very close to her location.
Dozens of police vehicles and ambulances converged on Västhaga, with a helicopter circling overhead. Police locked down the school and established a perimeter. A parent of a student expressed their fear, saying their child was praying for everyone’s safety.
While there are reports the shooter may have taken their own life, police have not confirmed this, warning that “the danger is not over” and urging the public to stay away from Västhaga. Their statement emphasized the ongoing operation and the threat of deadly violence.
Andreas Sundling, a 28-year-old at the school, told Expressen that he and others heard three bangs and loud screams before barricading themselves in a classroom. Åke Johansson, principal of the nearby Karolinska High School, said staff and students there were sheltering in place, avoiding windows and staying downstairs.
Åsa Svennebäck, a health official in the Örebro region, confirmed that patients were being transferred to the University Hospital to free up space. She stated that they were still trying to assess the number and condition of the injured.
Sweden’s Minister of Justice, Gunnar Strömmer, described the news as “very serious” and confirmed the government is in close contact with police. The shooting has prompted an outpouring of support from Swedish politicians, with Green Party spokesman Daniel Helldén and Social Democrat Teresa Carvalho expressing their condolences and concern.
This incident comes amid growing concerns about gun violence in Sweden, which has been described as the EU’s gun homicide capital.
In 2023, 53 people were killed in shootings across the country, following 62 deaths in 2022. Experts attribute the violence to gang turf wars, the drug trade, the availability of weapons, inequality, immigration, and integration issues.
Organised crime groups are also reported to have infiltrated various business sectors and are smuggling military-grade weapons into the country.
Information from Dailymail contributed to this report.
