Perpetrators Of Mass Shooting In Sweden Allegedly Suicide, 3 Weapons Found

PIXABAY ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Swedish police found three rifles near the body of an armed man in the midst of chaos after 11 people were killed and several others injured in the country's deadliest mass shooting.

Police believe the suspected killer was identified by a Reuters source and Swedish media as Rickard Andersson, a 35-year-old unemployed.

The perpetrator acted alone in an attack on Tuesday on an educational campus in Orebro.

Police said the suspected attacker had a firearm license for four weapons, three of which were found next to him when police found his body.

"The police who arrived at the scene have spoken of what can be described as hell. The people were killed and injured, screams and smoke," said Orebro police chief Lars Wiren.

Police found 10 empty ammunition magazines and "a large amount" of unused ammunition. Wiren said police arrived at the scene five minutes after the alarm sounded and believed the attackers had started pointing their shots at them.

Approximately an hour later, the operation was completed when the alleged perpetrator was found dead with several nearby weapons.

Police said the smoke was not caused by the fire, but by "fireworks". Some policemen had to seek medical help because they breathed smoke.

Sweden has a high level of arms possession according to European standards, mainly related to hunting, although the figure is much lower than the United States. Gang crime waves in recent years have also highlighted the high incidence of illegal weapons use.

Swedish authorities say so far there is no evidence of a shooter, which was among 11 people who died after a possible suicide, had an ideological motive.

Police have yet to confirm the suspect's name and the number of injured victims remains unclear, two days after the attack on the school, which offered Swedish adult and class courses for immigrants.