An 18-year-old man with a sword attacked a school in central Sweden on Friday, leaving one person dead and at least two others seriously injured, a police chief said. Police chief Tommy Alriksson said at a news conference that the suspect had been arrested following the attack at the school in the central town of Fagersta, northwest of the capital Stockholm. Police confirmed shots were fired during the arrest. It was unclear if the suspect had been injured, but he was in custody, not being treated at a hospital. The attack took place at the Brinell School in Fagersta while classes were in session, with about 400 to 500 students, authorities said. There was no immediate information on the attacker’s possible motive. Get daily national news Get daily Canadian news delivered to your inbox so you never miss the day’s top stories. “We have no reason at this time to believe that there are multiple perpetrators,” Alriksson said, adding that the investigation continues. Sweden’s national police said investigators have already carried out two house searches in relation to the suspect. Many witnesses were expected to be interviewed as part of the investigation. “That’s why we can’t give too much information, because we don’t want to influence witnesses,” Alriksson said. Vastmanland county, where the city is located, said the two seriously injured children were between 12 and 17 years old, the TT news agency reported. He did not provide details about the deceased. More about the world More videos Police spokesperson Pelle Vamstad, quoted by TT, said an alarm was received early on Friday afternoon. Police cordoned off a wide area around the school as part of their response. Several nearby schools were closed after the incident and barricades were set up, authorities said. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, in an earlier post on social media platform X, lamented the violence in Fagersta “right after the summer holidays.” “We still do not know what is behind this act, but we know that the police are working very intensely,” he added. “Our thoughts are with all those affected.” The Fagersta city government set up a crisis center in a sports hall near the school. The Vastmanland county government said “many people” were affected and that police, firefighters and health workers were among those caring for them. Associated Press writer Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. © 2026 The Canadian Press