One year after the horrific mass shooting at Campus Risbergska in Örebro on February 4, 2025, commemorations took place across the city, featuring speeches by the governor, prime minister, and crown princess. Relatives and survivors reflect on grief and societal response, amid criticism of the police operation. The events were marked by warmth and unity despite ongoing pain.
On February 4, 2026, exactly one year after the mass shooting at Campus Risbergska, Örebro residents gathered to remember the ten killed, including teacher Aziza and student Salim Iskef, and the six injured. The shooting occurred just after 12:30 p.m., carried out by Rickard Andersson, shocking the nation as Sweden's worst school shooting.
At the school, visitors laid flowers and lit candles at precisely 12:33, when the first shot was fired. Party leaders including Magdalena Andersson (S), Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist (C), Simona Mohamsson (L), and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) visited the site for remembrances. Kristersson described it as 'both solemn and sad' and toured the school.
The main commemoration took place at Örebro Castle, with speeches by Governor Lena Rådström Baastad, Municipal Council Chair John Johansson, and Kristersson. Rådström Baastad spoke of 'the darkness that fell during the day' and thanked Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel for their presence, both then and now. They attended the ceremony and a subsequent dinner with representatives from the municipality, police, and civil society groups like the Red Cross and Save the Children. The Royal Court stated: 'The ceremony was characterized by warmth and unity.'
Kristersson emphasized: 'We all know exactly where we were a year ago today when the first report came.' Johansson praised emergency services and individual heroes like Marwa Karkanawi, who saved janitor Adnan Imsirovic.
At University Hospital, attending physician Wiebke Falk and nurse Sebastian Andersson reflected on the chaos: 'Ongoing deadly violence' was the sparse information, with rumors of up to 200 injured. They treated patients with unusually severe gunshot wounds and prioritized mental health through light sedation. 'We had each other in some way,' Andersson said proudly.
Relatives like Krister Karlsson Condrós, whose wife Camilla was murdered, and Hanan Eskef, whose brother Salim fought for 45 minutes, expressed grief but also hope. Krister: 'I really want society to rethink how we treat each other.' Hanan: 'My brother's blood must not have been spilled in vain.' Teacher Eva Berzelius, who sheltered students, recalled the terror: 'As long as I have my memory, I have the memory of both the fear of death and the dead inside.' Principal Mattias Molin summed up: 'There is a before and an after.'
Criticism of the police was raised in the book 'After the Shots' by Frida Sundkvist, claiming more lives could have been saved and relatives received incorrect information. Deputy Regional Police Chief Niclas Hallgren regretted: 'It is something we naturally regret,' but defended the operation as following protocol in a 'life-threatening environment.' Relatives of Salim and Aziza have filed a complaint with the Parliamentary Ombudsman for inadequate training.
A subdued concert at Örebro Concert Hall, led by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, rounded off the evening with classical music to honor those affected.
