157 Global News Post 3

Police seek motive in deadly Sweden school attack

Agence France-Presse in Malmö, TheGuardian

March 22, 2022

[Police officers at the site of the attack on Monday]. (2022). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/21/sweden-two-injured-after-suspected-serious-at-malmo-school

On Monday, March 21st, two female teachers at Malmö high school were killed. Unfortunately, both victims died after being sent to the hospital. At the time of the attack, the school was already over, so there were about 50 students and teachers in the building. The 18-year-old attacker was allegedly wielding a knife and an ax; however, after stabbing the two women, he was the one who called the police to admit what he had done and was arrested without any fight. In regards to the attack, investigators have yet to reveal what sort of motive the attacker could have had. What is odd is his willingness to turn himself in and be arrested without resistance. Whether he chose the victims at random, had any connection to the victims or the school, and/or planned to kill anyone else is unclear. The Swedish Prime Minister, Magdalena Andersson, has expressed her concern and sadness over this attack.

Oftentimes, when we think of attacks in schools, the US is the country that pops into people’s minds. With numerous attacks a year, many of them being tragically deadly with the use of guns, these attacks are often heard worldwide. However, these situations are not unique to the US, they can happen anywhere, even if the weapon isn’t a gun and the outcome is less deadly. According to The Guardian, school attacks are rare in Sweden, but the country has seen an increase in attacks over the past several months, specifically in southern Sweden. In August 2021, a student wounded a school employee with a knife. In January 2022, a student was arrested after attacking another student as well as a teacher with a knife. If incidents like these continue to increase in Sweden, concern over school safety will most likely increase as well.