Swedish sword attack victim was 17-year-old girl, police say

What the report says

Police in Sweden have confirmed that the person killed in a sword attack at Brinell School in Fagersta was a 17-year-old girl. The BBC reported that two boys, aged 12 and 17, were also seriously injured, and a third person suffered minor injuries. An 18-year-old suspect has been detained as investigators treat the case as murder and attempted murder.

The attack happened on Friday afternoon at the high school in central Sweden, shortly after students had returned after the summer break. Police said they were called to the scene and later fired shots, but did not say whether the suspect was hit before being arrested. Local media, cited by the BBC, said the suspect may be a former student and was wearing a helmet, though that has not been confirmed by police.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and opposition leader Magdalena Andersson visited the school on Saturday, where flowers have been placed in memory of the victims. The region briefly entered a state of emergency after the attack, ending by Saturday. The school has just under 500 students, according to public broadcaster SVT, and is about 170km north-west of Stockholm.

The BBC said investigators have already searched two properties linked to the suspect. The case has drawn national attention, with the prime minister calling it a serious incident and the king saying he was saddened by the news.