The gunman who massacred 10 people at a school campus in Örebro has been identified as 35-year-old Rickard Andersson by Swedish media.
Andersson changed into green military clothing in a school toilet before carrying out the shooting at Risbergska School, then turning the gun on himself.
Relatives described Andersson as an unemployed recluse, who lived a lonely life and suffered with mental problems, the news site Aftonbladet reported.
Andersson had received a licence for four hunting rifles, and documents from the Swedish National Service Agency show he had been told repeatedly he was not eligible for military service after he came of age, it added.
A police source confirmed the name to Reuters news agency.
The King and Queen of Sweden paid a solemn visit to the site of Sweden’s worst ever killings in Örebro.
King Carl XVI Gustaf stood by Queen Silvia’s side as she laid bright white flowers at a makeshift memorial near the site
"A grieving process is hard to do alone," King Carl told reporters. "I think all of Sweden feels it has experienced this traumatic event.”
Key Points
- Sweden mourns – full report
- King and Queen visit site of shooting in Örebro
- Suspect Rickard Andersson had 'limited contact with family for years'
- Relatives of suspected gunman say 35-year-old 'was loner'
- Swedish PM condemns worst shooting in country's history
Everything we know about campus attack which left 11 dead
03:11
,
Namita Singh
Eleven people are dead after a rampaging gunman opened fire at an adult education centre in central Sweden, in what is believed to be the country’s worst ever mass shooting.
Armed police were scrambled to Risbergska School, in Örebro, at lunchtime on Tuesday, as terrified students hid under their desks and barricaded themselves in classrooms.
The suspect has been named in Swedish media as 35-year-old recluse Rickard Andersson, described by relatives as a “loner” who “doesn't seem to like people”.
Here is how the attack unfolded:
Black armbands and minute's silence at football match
03:00
,
Jane Dalton
Football teams Degerfors IF and Orebro Syrianska wore black armbands at a friendly match on Wednesday evening.
The teams also held a minute’s silence before the match to honour the victims of the terrible attack in Örebro, Degerfors IF announced.
“Our thoughts are with those affected and their families,” said the club, which plays in the highest tier of Swedish football.
Who was Sweden school shooting suspect accused of killing 10 people?
03:00
,
Namita Singh
The gunman behind Sweden’s worst-ever shooting has been named by Swedish media as 35-year-old Rickard Andersson.
After massacring 10 people at Risbergska School in Orebro, police believe the attacker turned the gun on himself.
Andersson was described by relatives as a “loner” who “doesn't seem to like people”, Swedish outlet Aftonbladet reported. He suffered with mental health problems, had a licence for multiple hunting rifles, and had repeatedly been refused military service, the outlet added.
More in this report:
Wave of shootings and bombings in Sweden
02:00
,
Jane Dalton
Sweden has been struggling with a wave of shootings and bombings caused by an endemic gang crime problem that has led to the highest per capita rate of gun violence in the EU in recent years in the country of 10 million people.
However, fatal attacks at schools are rare.
Ten people were killed in seven incidents of deadly violence at schools between 2010 and 2022, according to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention.
Sweden has a high level of gun ownership by European standards, mainly linked to hunting, though it is much lower than in the United States, while the gang crime wave has highlighted the high incidence of illegal weapons.
In one of the highest-profile crimes of the past decade, a 21-year-old masked assailant driven by racist motives killed a teaching assistant and a boy and wounded two others in 2015.
In 2017, a man driving a truck mowed down shoppers on a busy street in central Stockholm before crashing into a department store. Five people died in that attack.
Fellow pupil says Andersson was loner
01:00
,
Jane Dalton
A person who went to the same school as Rickard Andersson while growing up told TV4 Nyheterna he was a loner.
“He was very quiet and kept to himself most of the time. It wasn't noticeable much when he was little, but the older he got, the more he withdrew,” they said.
“In his last year he was often at home. I think he then completely disappeared from school.”
Empathy will help us, says prime minister
Wednesday 5 February 2025 23:59
,
Jane Dalton
Sweden’s prime minister Ulf Kristersson, who joined the king and queen in visiting Orebro, said: "February 4 will for ever mark a dark day in Swedish history.
"We are a country in mourning and we must all come together."
He wrote on social media: “The empathy and kindness shown by people here in Sweden and across the globe will help us through this dark period.”
Sweden mourns the victims of the school attack in Örebro yesterday. The empathy and kindness shown by people here in Sweden and across the globe will help us through this dark period. Thank you all. pic.twitter.com/RZ49b3pxk5
— SwedishPM (@SwedishPM) February 5, 2025
Suspect 'had Asperger's and autism'
Wednesday 5 February 2025 22:30
,
Jane Dalton
The gun murders suspect had Asperger's and high-functioning autism, and had major problems at school, according to Sweden’s TV4.
“From the spring semester of grade eight and throughout grade nine, he failed all subjects. He was therefore not eligible for upper secondary school and had to follow an individual program,” the channel reported.
“Rickard Andersson studied at Wadköping Education Center in Örebro. There he attended a special class for people with Asperger's and high-functioning autism, and he received mixed grades.
“He passed in aesthetic activities and history, but failed in all other subjects.
“Rickard Andersson also did not do military service, as his lack of high school grades meant that he was never called up for military service.”
In pictures: Mourning in Orebro
Wednesday 5 February 2025 21:30
,
Jane Dalton
Sweden mourns shooting victims – full report
Wednesday 5 February 2025 20:30
,
Jane Dalton
Killer 'hid gun in guitar-shaped box'
Wednesday 5 February 2025 20:00
,
Jane Dalton
The attacker hid his weapon in a guitar-shaped box and changed clothes in the school bathroom before he started shooting, Aftonbladet reported.
Sweden has a high level of gun ownership by European standards, mostly due to hunting.
Suspect had limited contact with his family for years
Wednesday 5 February 2025 19:30
,
Jane Dalton
Gun suspect Rickard Andersson had limited contact with his family for years, according to news website Aftonbladet, which spoke to his relatives, who described him as a recluse.
Police said he was not known to them before the killings and had never been convicted of a crime.
They also said he had no gang connection and was believed to have acted alone.
Nothing so far pointed to an ideological motive for the attack, in which the suspect fired at police when they arrived at the school.
They said they later found him dead.
Andersson appeared to have no social media accounts.
The paper also said the man did not have a “high school certificate”.
Swedish public broadcaster SVT said the attacker, like many in Sweden, had a hunting licence and used a hunting weapon.
Gunman studied maths at the school
Wednesday 5 February 2025 19:00
,
Jane Dalton
Suspect Rickard Andersson had previously been enrolled at the school for several maths classes, without finishing them, Aftonbladet reported, according to documents seen by the paper.
The most recent class he was enrolled for was in 2021.
Student recalls 'worst hours' of her life
Wednesday 5 February 2025 18:35
,
Jane Dalton
A nursing student thought of her two children, aged two and three, as she heard the gunman pacing outside the classroom where she and five other people hid.
"Those were the worst hours of my life. I did not know if I would get shot there and then, or in ten minutes. You simply waited," Hellen Werme, 35, was quoted as saying.
She, three classmates and two teachers were about to start a lesson when they heard the first shots.
"My teacher shouted, 'Lock the doors and get down on the floor.'”
They crawled behind some hospital beds and lay there, making no noise.
Children prayed under their desks
Wednesday 5 February 2025 18:34
,
Jane Dalton
Children prayed under their desks as the shooting was going on.
Suspect had not declared any work for 11 years
Wednesday 5 February 2025 18:30
,
Jane Dalton
Suspect Rickard Andersson last declared work-related income in 2014, according to tax return information.
He lived in a one-bedroom apartment in a low-rise building around half a mile from Orebro city centre.
Sweden has high rate of gun ownership
Wednesday 5 February 2025 18:15
,
Jane Dalton
Sweden has a high level of gun ownership by European standards, mainly linked to hunting, although the rate is much lower than in the United States.
A gang crime wave has highlighted the high incidence of illegal weapons in Sweden.
In 2022, the country reportedly was second only to Albania in gun ownership rates.
Sweden used to be one of the safest places to live in the world. Wonder what happened.https://t.co/liUeIhMiRY pic.twitter.com/2zezMM5sOU
— Matt Goodwin (@GoodwinMJ) August 19, 2024
No evidence suspect had 'ideological motives', say police
Wednesday 5 February 2025 17:54
,
Jane Dalton
Police said there was no evidence the suspect, identified in the media as Rickard Andersson, a 35-year-old unemployed recluse, had "ideological motives".
"We will get back on what motives there are," said local police chief Roberto Eid Forest.
Five of the six wounded who were treated in hospital - four women and two men - had required surgery for gunshot wounds and remained in a serious condition, regional authorities said.
The exact number of those wounded in the attack has not been confirmed by police.
Rickard Andersson: Who was the Sweden school shooting suspect accused of killing 10 people?
Wednesday 5 February 2025 16:58
,
Alex Croft
The gunman behind Sweden’s worst ever shooting has been named by Swedish media as 35-year-old Rickard Andersson.
After massacring 10 people at Risbergska School in Orebro, police believe the attacker turned the gun on himself.
Andersson was described by relatives as a “loner” who “doesn't seem to like people”, Swedish outlet Aftonbladet reported. He suffered with mental health problems, had a license for multiple hunting rifles, and had repeatedly been refused military service, the outlet added.
Read everything we know about Rickard Andersson, the suspected gunman:
Swedish media names Rickard Andersson as suspected shooter
Wednesday 5 February 2025 16:35
,
Alex Croft
Swedish outlet Aftonbladet has named 35-year-old Rickard Andersson as the suspect behind the massacre of 10 people in an Örebro school.
He lived a lonely life and suffered with mental problems, the outlet reported.
Andersson had received a licence for four hunting rifles, and documents from the Swedish National Service Agency show he had been repeatedly told he was not eligible for military service after he came of age, it added.
His relatives was also described by relatives as a “loner” who “doesn't seem to like people”.
Andersson changed into a green military outfit in the school toilets, and was warmed with three guns and a knife as he carried out the horrific mass killing.
Police are yet to officially name the suspect, but a police source also named him as Andersson to Reuters news agency.
Watch: Sweden shooting witness recalls chaotic, bloody aftermath of violence
Wednesday 5 February 2025 16:19
,
Alex Croft
In pictures: Royals and politicians pay respects at memorial service
Wednesday 5 February 2025 15:53
,
Alex Croft
Swedish Red Cross steps in with psychosocial support for Örebro residents
Wednesday 5 February 2025 15:34
,
Alex Croft
The Swedish Red Cross will provide psychosocial support to those affected in Örebro, the organisation said.
"This is distressing for everyone involved,” secretary general Ulrika Modéer said. “The incident impacts not only those directly affected and their families but also the wider community, including people evacuated and parents concerned for their children's safety.”
Red Cross staff will be stationed in three locations around the city to support anyone who needs it.
“Experiencing anxiety and worry is a natural response. The most important thing now is to show each other care and compassion,” Ms Modéer added.
Royals and prime minister join memorial service
Wednesday 5 February 2025 15:14
,
Alex Croft
The King and Queen of Sweden were joined by prime minister Ulf Kristersson at a memorial service for those killed in the Örebro shooting.
Senior politicians from parties in the Riksdag - Sweden’s parliament - also joined the service in St. Nicolai Church.
A minute’s silence was followed by singing and joint prayer, before candles were lit, Expressen reported.
"The sun is shining outside, but in our hearts it is dark," the priest who is conducting the service said.
Watch: Sombre scenes as Swedish royals and Prime Minister visit school shooting scene
Wednesday 5 February 2025 14:46
,
Alex Croft
Öresund Bridge to light up in memory of the dead
Wednesday 5 February 2025 14:32
,
Alex Croft
The Öresund Bridge, the 7.8 kilometre cable-bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden, will light up tonight in memory of those killed in the school massacre.
“Special mourning lights” will be adorn the bridge to commemorate the dead, the bridge announced.
"Two pylons are extinguished while two pylons are illuminated with the colors of the Swedish flag, which is intended to symbolize a form of half-mast flag flying," it added.
The lighting will begin at dusk on Wednesday and turn off at sunrise on Thursday.
Relatives of suspected gunman say 35-year-old was a 'loner' - report
Wednesday 5 February 2025 14:16
,
Alex Croft
The man suspected to be behind Sweden’s worst ever mass shooting was a “loner”, relatives have told Swedish media.
Police are yet to confirm the identity of the dead shooter, who they believe turned the gun on himself on Tuesday afternoon.
“We haven't had much contact with him in recent years. As a child he was different but lively. He did well in school. In recent years he has had a hard time,” the relative told Aftonbladet.
He has not had much contact with his immediate family in recent years, the relative added.
“He sometimes comes along when his siblings come home and it's Christmas Eve or something else to celebrate. His mom and dad are out traveling a lot, so he usually takes care of their dog. He spends a lot of time at their house,” they added.
Another relative painted a similar picture: “He keeps to himself a lot. He's a loner.”
Watch: Swedish King says Sweden is "standing behind" families of school shooting victims
Wednesday 5 February 2025 14:07
,
Alex Croft
'Grieving is hard to do alone', says King Carl
Wednesday 5 February 2025 14:03
,
Alex Croft
After laying perfect white flowers at the makeshift memorial commemorating those slain in a horrific mass shooting, Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf issued a call for national unity.
"A grieving process is hard to do alone," he told reporters. "I think all of Sweden feels it has experienced this traumatic event.
“We have come here to show our sympathy and we are thinking of the deceased, but also of course their families, loved ones. The relatives are not alone, we are with them,” he added.
In pictures: King, Queen and prime minister lay flowers at memorial
Wednesday 5 February 2025 13:49
,
Alex Croft
'What happened to beautiful Sweden?' asks Queen Sylvia
Wednesday 5 February 2025 13:40
,
Alex Croft
Speaking to the media during their visit to the Campus Risbergska, where 11 people died yesterday, Queen Sylvia expressed her devastation.
“Of course, we are thinking of family members and everyone who has died now and I wonder... what happened to the beautiful Sweden?” she said to reporters, according to Expressen.
“I have a great wish for all the Swedish people to help and build it up again. Strengthen Sweden's good name and everything that means to be Swedish.
“That's what I wish now. A lot has happened lately and it is my great wish and the King's that we all together build up the fine Sweden that has been.”
Kins wait outside hospital searching for friends among casualties
Wednesday 5 February 2025 13:25
,
Alex Croft
Family members of potential victims waited outside the Orebro University Hospital overnight.
Ali Elmokad was looking for his relative, unsure whether he was among the injured or the dead.
"We've been trying to get hold of him all day, we haven't been successful," he said, adding that he had a friend who also attended the school.
"What she saw was so terrible. She only saw people lying on the floor, injured and blood everywhere."
Swedish King and Queen visit site of shooting in Örebro
Wednesday 5 February 2025 13:14
,
Alex Croft
The King and Queen of Sweden have arrived in Örebro, to visit the site of Tuesday’s devastating shooting.
Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife, Queen Silvia, will later attend a memorial service in St. Nicolai Church in the centre of the city.
Watch live: Swedish royals and prime minster visit school shooting scene
Wednesday 5 February 2025 13:10
,
Alex Croft
Wave of shootings and bombings in Sweden in recent years
Wednesday 5 February 2025 12:56
,
Alex Ross
Sweden has been struggling with a wave of shootings and bombings caused by an endemic gang crime problem that has seen the country of 10 million people record by far the highest per capita rate of gun violence in the EU in recent years.
However, fatal attacks at schools are rare.
Ten people were killed in seven incidents of deadly violence at schools between 2010 and 2022, according to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention.
Sweden has a high level of gun ownership by European standards, mainly linked to hunting, though it is much lower than in the United States, while the gang crime wave has highlighted the high incidence of illegal weapons.
In one of the highest-profile crimes of the past decade, a 21-year-old masked assailant driven by racist motives killed a teaching assistant and a boy and wounded two others in 2015.
In 2017, a man driving a truck mowed down shoppers on a busy street in central Stockholm before crashing into a department store. Five people died in that attack.
Black armbands and minute's silence to be held Swedish football match
Wednesday 5 February 2025 12:41
,
Alex Croft
Football teams Degerfors IF and Orebro Syrianska will wear black armbands at a friendly match on Wednesday evening.
The teams will also hold a minute’s silence before the match to “honour the victims of the terrible attack in Örebro”, Degerfors IF announced.
“Our thoughts are with those affected and their families,” said the club, which plays in the highest tier of Swedish football.
Pictured: Suspect's apartment stormed by police after shooting
Wednesday 5 February 2025 12:26
,
Alex Croft
Who was the Sweden school shooting suspect who killed 10 people?
Wednesday 5 February 2025 12:10
,
Alex Croft
The gunman was among the 11 people killed in the worst shooting in the history of Sweden at an adult education centre west of Stockholm.
On Tuesday, police received reports of a shooting in Orebro, a city 200km (124 miles) west of Stockholm, at 12.33pm local time and engaged in an exchange of bullets with the suspect.
Terrified students scrambled for cover under the desk and some even barricaded themselves in classrooms. The suspected perpetrator was later found with a gunshot wound, police said.
What do we know about the suspect behind the Sweden school shooting?
Örebro Mosque opens for extra hours to support community
Wednesday 5 February 2025 11:52
,
Alex Croft
Örebro Mosque opened for extra hours on Tuesday and Wednesday to support the the local community, Expressen reported.
“We open for the grieving and the worried. They have big questions that we can't answer, but we can be there. Right now, all we can do is grieve, that's all we can do at the moment,” the mosque’s chairman Yusuf Abdow told the Swedish outlet.
“People in the mosque, like all of Örebro, feel that it must not happen. That it is a nightmare. It is not just relatives, everyone is shaken.”
Prime minister to visit Örebro on Wednesday
Wednesday 5 February 2025 11:36
,
Alex Croft
Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson and minister of justice Gunnar Strömmer will visit Örebro on Wednesday, according to Expressen.
It comes after the royal court confirmed that King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife, Queen Silvia, will also visit the central Swedish city.
The royals will visit the area where the shooting took place, before attending a memorial service in St. Nicolai Church in the centre of the city.
Sweden school shooting: Everything we know about the killing of 11 people at an adult education centre
Wednesday 5 February 2025 11:19
,
Alex Croft
Eleven people are dead after a rampaging gunman opened fire at an adult education centre in central Sweden, in what has been dubbed the country’s worst ever mass shooting.
Armed police were scrambled to Risbergska School, in Örebro, at lunchtime on Tuesday, as terrified students hid under their desks and barricaded themselves in classrooms.
Students told local media outlets how they heard gun shots and screams before armed police stormed the buildings and they were able to escape.
In a statement issued shortly before midnight, police said 11 people had died in the attack, including the suspect. Police believe the suspect shot himself, they added in a press conference on Wednesday morning.
Here is everything we know so far about the shooting: