STOCKHOLM – A Swedish high school student arrested on Monday on suspicion of killing two teachers in the southern city of Malmo was not previously known to police and his motive was still unclear, Malmo Police Chief said on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murdering two women in their 50s at his school in Malmo. About 50 students were in the school at the time of the attack, but no one was injured, police said.
Malmö’s police chief Petra Stenkula said she was not aware of any evidence that the attack was racially or religiously motivated.
“I haven’t heard of anything like that at the moment. But it may be far too early to say anything about it,” she said at a news conference.
The Swedish daily Aftonbladet reported on Tuesday without citing sources that the student attacked the women with a knife and an ax.
Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told Swedish news agency TT on Tuesday that she had received the news “with sadness and dismay” and that her thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims.
Reporting by Anna Ringstrom and Helena Soderpalm, editing by Raissa Kasolowsky