Swedish police confirmed on Thursday that their quick intervention during a mass shooting earlier this month prevented further fatalities in the country’s deadliest killing spree.
The shooter, identified as Rickard Andersson, killed 10 people during a 15-minute rampage at the Campus Risbergska adult education centre in Örebro on February 4. He then took his own life. Authorities have yet to determine a clear motive for the attack.
Police responded to the scene about six minutes after receiving the alarm and came under gunfire. Despite this, it took officers an hour to locate Andersson’s body, raising concerns among the media and survivors about the handling of the situation.
When police arrived, the campus was described as an “inferno” due to Andersson’s use of three smoke grenades, which hindered their movement.
“After the perpetrator opened fire on our patrol, only two more shots were fired,” said Niclas Hallgren, Deputy Regional Police Chief. “One was a shotgun blast that missed, and the other was the fatal shot that ended the perpetrator’s life.”
Andersson, 35, a reclusive, unemployed man with four licensed firearms, killed himself 12 minutes after the first alarm. Authorities found his body in the school with three guns nearby. He had fired 70 shots and had over 100 unused cartridges remaining.
Police reiterated that they believe Andersson’s victims were chosen randomly, and investigators are still combing through large amounts of evidence to uncover the motive.
“We are working comprehensively and do not rule out any possibilities,” said Emelie Bodegrim, Deputy Police Operation Commander. “However, we may have to prepare for the fact that we may not find the answers we are hoping for.”
