A deadly sword attack at a high school in central Sweden has prompted a wider police investigation. Authorities are examining whether the 18-year-old suspect had links to online communities promoting school violence.
The attack took place on Friday in the Swedish town of Fagersta. One student was killed, while two teenage boys suffered serious injuries.
Police arrested the suspect following the attack. Prosecutors later ordered his detention on suspicion of murder and several counts of attempted murder.
Police Examine Suspect’s Online Activity
Investigators are now examining the suspect’s possible activity across online communities.
A police source said authorities are investigating whether a TikTok account belonged to the suspect. The account posted a picture of a sword around 20 minutes before the attack.
According to information reported by Swedish media, the image appeared to have been taken inside a school restroom.
The account had existed for about a month before it was removed. It reportedly contained videos referring to previous incidents of mass violence in Sweden.
One video referenced the 2015 school attack in Trollhättan, western Sweden. A masked attacker killed a teaching assistant and two boys during that incident.
The account also reportedly referred to Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik.
“The investigators are looking into various online communities which might have egged on the suspect to carry out the attack,” the police source said.
However, investigators have not publicly established whether online activity influenced the Fagersta attack.
Teenage Girl Among the Victims
The parents of a 17-year-old girl told local newspaper Fagersta-Posten that their daughter was killed in the attack.
Two teenage boys also suffered serious injuries during the incident. Police have continued gathering information about the attack and its victims.
Meanwhile, the suspect remains in custody as prosecutors pursue the investigation.
Prosecutor Ann-Sofie Trossing said authorities were working intensively to establish what happened.
“The investigation is at an intense stage. We are conducting interrogations and gathering information, but I cannot go into specifics,” she said.
Swedish Political Campaigns Paused
The attack also disrupted political campaigning ahead of Sweden’s September 13 election. Several party leaders cancelled planned speeches on Saturday following the violence.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and opposition leader Magdalena Andersson travelled to Fagersta after the attack. They offered condolences to the bereaved family and visited those injured during the incident.
“What should never happen has happened again,” Kristersson told reporters in Fagersta.
“Our thoughts go first and foremost to the families who have been incredibly hard hit by this,” he said.
The attack has therefore cast a shadow over Sweden’s political campaign as authorities continue investigating its circumstances.
Police Correct Earlier Statement About Suspect
Swedish police also clarified information about the suspect’s arrest on Saturday. Authorities had initially said the suspect had been shot. However, police later corrected that account.
“Service weapons were used, but the perpetrator has not been injured in connection with the arrest, and has not been in need of medical attention,” a police spokesperson told the Aftonbladet daily.
The clarification confirmed that the suspect was not injured during his arrest.
Attack Rekindles Concerns Over School Violence
The Fagersta attack has also brought renewed attention to previous school violence in Sweden.
The country’s worst mass shooting occurred in February 2025 in the south-central city of Orebro. A gunman killed 10 people before taking his own life.
The Fagersta investigation now focuses on the suspect’s motives and possible online influences.
Authorities are conducting interrogations and collecting evidence as they work to establish the full circumstances behind the deadly school attack.
