About 10 people, including the gunman, were killed on Tuesday at an adult education center in what Sweden鈥檚 prime minister called the country鈥檚 worst mass shooting. But a final death toll, a conclusive number of wounded and a motive hadn鈥檛 yet been determined hours later.
gave a news conference in the aftermath of the tragedy, which happened on the outskirts of Orebro. The city is located about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Stockholm.
The school, called Campus Risbergska, serves students over age 20, according to its website. Primary and upper secondary school courses are offered, as well as Swedish classes for immigrants, vocational training and programs for people with intellectual disabilities.
鈥淭oday, we have witnessed brutal, deadly violence against completely innocent people,鈥� Kristersson told reporters in Stockholm. 鈥淭his is the worst mass shooting in Swedish history. Many questions remain unanswered, and I cannot provide those answers either.
鈥淏ut the time will come when we will know what happened, how it could occur, and what motives may have been behind it. Let us not speculate,鈥� he said.
Gun violence at schools is very rare in Sweden. But there have been several incidents in recent years in which people were wounded or killed with or axes.
Justice Minister Gunnar Str枚mmer called the shooting 鈥渁n event that shakes our entire society to its core.鈥�
While Swedes read about such violence in other places, Str枚mmer said that the country previously felt it wouldn鈥檛 happen there. Other tragedies in Swedish schools weren't to the extent of Tuesday鈥檚 attack, he said, calling it 鈥渋ndescribably sad鈥� for the community.
The shooting also sent shock waves through Europe, with officials in Brussels expressing their outrage at the carnage.
鈥淲hat happened today in 脰rebro is truly horrifying,鈥� wrote on social media. 鈥淪uch violence and terror have no place in our societies 鈥� least of all in schools. In this dark hour, we stand with the people of Sweden.鈥�
The damage at the crime scene was so extensive that investigators were unable to be more definitive about the number of fatalities, said Roberto Eid Forest, head of the local police.
Police said that the death toll could rise. Eid Forest told reporters that the suspected gunman was among those killed. Police believe the perpetrator acted alone, and he wasn鈥檛 previously known to police, officials said.
Authorities said that there were no suspected connections to terrorism at this point, but police didn鈥檛 provide a motive.
鈥淥f course, we all want to understand why this happened, what occurred, and what motives the perpetrator may have had,鈥� Kristersson said. 鈥淲e will have to wait for those answers 鈥� in due time, the picture will become clearer.鈥�
Police raided the suspect鈥檚 home after Tuesday's shooting, but it wasn't immediately clear what they found. Eid Forest said there were no warning signs before the attack. Authorities were working to identify the deceased.
Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf praised police and the rescue and medical personnel who responded to the shooting, and issued words of comfort to the families of the victims.
鈥淚t is with sadness and dismay that my family and I have received the information about the terrible atrocity in 脰rebro,鈥� the monarch said in a statement. 鈥淲e send our condolences tonight to the families and friends of the deceased. Our thoughts at this time also go to the injured and their relatives, as well as to others affected.鈥�
Danish Prime Minister expressed support to neighboring Sweden, calling Tuesday's shooting 鈥渁 terrible situation.鈥�
鈥淚 am so sad and all my thoughts are with the victims and their families and with the entire Swedish community and society,鈥� she said after a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a terrible situation. And of course, our neighboring countries have all of our support.鈥�
The shooting erupted after many students had gone home following a national exam. Police vehicles and ambulances, lights flashing, blanketed the parking lots and streets around the school as a helicopter buzzed overhead.
Teacher Lena Warenmark told SVT 51黑料 that there were unusually few students on the campus Tuesday afternoon after the exam. She also told the broadcaster that she heard probably 10 gunshots.
Students sheltered in nearby buildings. Other parts of the school were evacuated following the shooting, which began at around 12:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT).
Andreas Sundling, 28, was among those forced to barricade themselves inside the school.
鈥淲e heard three bangs and loud screams,鈥� he told Expressen newspaper while sheltering in a classroom.
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Geir Moulson in Berlin and Kwiyeon Ha in London contributed.
Stefanie Dazio, The Associated Press