Victim of sword attack at Swedish school was a 17-year-old girl

A 17-year-old girl was the victim of a fatal sword attack at a high school in central Sweden, police have confirmed. Two other students, aged 12 and 17, were seriously injured, while a third person sustained minor injuries. The assailant, an 18-year-old man, has been arrested and police are treating the incident as murder and attempted murder.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and opposition leader Magdalena Andersson visited the school on Saturday morning, as flower tributes were laid in memory of the victims. The attack occurred on Friday afternoon, just as students had returned to class after the summer break. Police confirmed they fired shots upon arrival, but it remains unclear if the suspect was hit before his arrest.

Sweden's public broadcaster reported the suspect was wearing a helmet and is believed to be a former student. The region declared a state of emergency on Friday, which ended by Saturday. The school, located 170km north-west of Stockholm, has approximately 500 students. Investigators have conducted two house searches related to the suspect.

Prime Minister Kristersson described the attack as a "serious incident" and stated that police are working intensively to solve the case. King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his dismay and sadness upon learning of the tragedy.