Teenagers Injured in Sword Attack at Swedish School

Sun Sep 06 2026 00:33:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A sword attack at Brinell School in Fagersta left two teenagers seriously wounded and sparked a regional high alert.

Police responded to a sword assault at Brinell School in Fagersta, arresting one suspect and treating two teenagers for serious injuries. A third person was also wounded; the suspect suffered a leg wound after being fired upon by police. Lockdowns were imposed across eight nearby schools before authorities lifted them, and a high‑alert status was declared in the Vastmanland region. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called the incident a serious event, noting ongoing investigations. The school, serving just under 500 pupils, reopened after the summer break.

Teenagers Injured in Sword Attack at Swedish School

Two teenagers have been seriously injured after a sword attack on a high school in Sweden, authorities have said.

Armed police officers at the scene of the Sweden school shooting — Police and emergency services are on the scene. Image source: EPA

Police were called to the Brinell School in Fagersta shortly after 14:00 local time (13:00 BST) on Friday, where officers arrested one man.

A third person was wounded in the attack, though the extent of the injuries has not been confirmed. Local media reports that the suspect was shot in the leg by police.

Eight other schools in the area were placed under lockdown measures. The lockdowns have now been lifted, and a state of high alert was declared in the Vastmanland region following the attack.

Police have said there is currently no danger to the public.

In a post on X, Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the attack as a "serious incident", adding that police are working very intensively. He also said that the motives behind the act remain unknown.

The school, which hosts just under 500 students, had only just reopened from the summer break. The new term was set to begin either on Monday or Wednesday this week, depending on the academic calendar.

Sweden has experienced a number of attacks on educational institutions in recent years. The worst-ever mass shooting in 2025 saw 11 people die at an adult education centre in Orebro. The incident prompted tighter gun laws after the shooter was found to possess four rifles, three of which were located at the school where the 2025 shooting took place.

Earlier attacks include the murder of two teachers in a secondary school in Malmö in 2022, after which an 18‑year‑old student confessed to the crime. A 2015 sword attack on a teacher and a pupil in Trollhattan also remains a significant case in the country’s school safety history.