Sweden plans tighter gun laws after Orebro school shooting

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, on a visit to Latvia, told reporters: “We have to ensure that only the right people have guns in Sweden.”

The Sweden Democrats said that it agreed with proposals to amend the law, including greater restrictions on access to semi-automatic weapons.

“The horrific act of violence in Orebro raises several key questions about gun legislation,” the party said in a statement.

The AR-15, a particular style of semi-automatic rifle that is both powerful and can carry large magazines, was singled out by the government as an example of weapons that could be restricted.

Police have not said exactly which weapons were used in the attack, but the AR-15 has been used in many mass shootings in the US.

They confirmed that several long rifles were found at the site of the attack in Orebro, along with 10 empty magazines.

Under current Swedish gun laws, anyone over 18 who does not have a criminal record can apply for a permit for a shotgun, handgun or semi-automatic rifle.

They must justify to the police why they need a gun. People over 20 can apply for a special dispensation to own a fully automatic weapon.

Around 580,000 Swedes have a weapons license out of a population of around 10.5 million, according to figures from Swedish broadcaster SVT.

A 2017 Swiss study found there were about 2.3 million guns held by civilians in Sweden. That is around 23 guns per 100 people, compared to 29 in Norway and 120 per 100 in the US.

To obtain a hunting license in Sweden, a theory and practical test is required. About 280,000 Swedes have one.

Police have yet to publicly identify the victims of the attack in Orebro, or declare a motive for the attack, but said they hoped to conclude the identification process and make an announcement on Friday.

Among the dead, according to family and community members, were Syrians who fled the war there as refugees, as well as one Bosnian.

Swedish police are usually cautious about naming suspects during an investigation, but the absence of official information has contributed to a feeling of fear and uncertainty among Orebro’s immigrant communities over the past few days.

“We need more information,” said Nour Afram, 36, who was inside the Risbergska school when the attack began.

“We don’t know why he did it, why did he target this school? Was he sick or was it something else?” she said.

Afram was waiting to go into class when she heard people screaming that there was a shooter.

“We started to run and then I heard the gunshots,” she said. “One at first, then tak tak tak – maybe ten shots. I was so scared I felt like my heart stopped in my chest.”

Sweden has a relatively high level of gun ownership and gun crime, by European standards, though most weapons are legally owned and used for hunting.

Gun crime is mostly associated with gangs, who have also taken to using bombs to target one another.

Non gang-related gun crime is less common, and Tuesday’s attack the nation’s first school shooting and its worst mass shooting. A total of four people were killed in two separate school stabbings in 2015 and 2022.