Eleven dead in shooting at Swedish education centre
At least eleven people were killed and several others wounded in a mass shooting at an adult education centre in the Swedish city of Örebro on Tuesday. According to the police, the perpetrator was probably among the dead. So far there are no indications that the attack was motivated by terrorism. Commentators take stock.
A national trauma
Sydsvenskan is appalled:
“This was an act of unfathomable, brutal violence, and must be viewed as such, not as an 'incredibly tragic event', as the police put it. ... Of course it's only human to seek answers and explanations for violence, particularly when it takes place on school grounds. And particularly when it apparently affects students with a foreign background. On Tuesday evening, people of all different religions, including Muslims, gathered to mourn. This is a national trauma.”
American scenario
Corriere della Sera draws parallels with mass shootings in the US:
“The massacre in Örebro recounts 'American' scenario in a country where violence is now widespread. The attack took place at an education centre that is also frequented by immigrants, and the nature of the crime is reminiscent of American mass shootings: breaking into the premises, repeated shots, potential arson, death of the perpetrator. ... According to the preliminary information currently available, the culprit is not a member of a terrorist organisation. ... It's too early to describe the matrix, but given the dynamics it's hard not to see this as an act of terrorism that intensifies a worrying climate at the national level.”