Student arrested in Sweden after two teachers killed

A motive is unclear behind the murder of two women in their 50s at a high school in Malmo, police say.

Flowers are seen outside Malmo Latin School
Flowers are seen outside Malmo Latin School [Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via Reuters]

Two female teachers have been killed by a student at a high school in southern Sweden, police said on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old student was arrested at the scene on Monday in Malmo, Sweden’s third-largest city. The victims were in their 50s, police said.

The suspect was not previously known to the police and had no criminal record, and police did not disclose how the teachers were killed. A motive has not been established.

“For now it is far too early to comment on that,” Malmo police chief Petra Stenkula told a news conference.

She said officers found the suspect and two victims on the third floor of the downtown Malmo Latin School 10 minutes after they were alerted, adding that the situation was then “under control”.

Stenkula did not confirm a report by the Aftonbladet newspaper, saying the male student himself called authorities to say he had killed two people, had put down his weapons and was on the third floor.

Police made “seizures” and a forensic examination “will allow us to better understand what happened”, Stenkula said, adding authorities have no information of any further injuries.

Police commandos gear-up as they arrive at the scene of a reported incident at the Latin School in Malmo
Police commandos cordon off the area at the Latin School in Malmo [Johan Nilsson/Pool via AFP]

Police said they were called at 5:12pm (16:12 GMT) on Monday. Scores of ambulances and patrol cars rushed to the school and armed police were seen entering the building, which was cordoned off.

Students at the school, which has about 1,100 pupils, had gathered to work on a musical and students locked themselves inside classrooms.

Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson reacted “with sadness and dismay” to the killings, according to the Swedish news agency TT.

All classes were suspended on Tuesday and the school was closed.

The killings took place in a modern annexe of the school, which was founded in 1406 when the pope issued a letter of privilege allowing for its construction and operation.

It was originally meant to educate local youth on Christian doctrine and the Latin language.

Source: News Agencies