A “suspected terrorist crime” was being investigated in a southern Sweden town after a man assaulted at least eight people in Wednesday, police said.
A man in his 20s attacked people in the small town of Vetlanda, about 118 miles southeast of Goteborg, Sweden’s second largest city, police said.
The man was shot by police, who said that the condition of those attacked and the perpetrator was not immediately known. Officials did not immediately provide further details.
Swedish media reported that the assailant used an axe.
Regional police chief Malena Grann told a news conference that a suspect had been arrested after “police opened fire.”Local police chief Jonas Lindell said the suspect had been admitted to hospital.
“As it is now, we have started a preliminary investigation into attempted murder,” Grann said. “That is the criminal classification we have. There are details in the investigation that make us investigate any terrorist motives, but at the moment I cannot go into details.”
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Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven condemned “this terrible act,” and added that Sweden’s domestic security agency SAPO was also working on the case.
“They continuously assess whether there are reasons to take security-enhancing measures and are prepared to do so if necessary,” he said in a statement, according to the Swedish news agency TT.
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