Sweden: Trollhattan stabbings were racist, police say

A masked man who killed one teacher and a boy and wounded two others in a Swedish school was driven by racist motives, police said on Friday.

Sweden was shocked by Thursday's attack in which the assailant walked through a school stabbing students and staff in Trollhattan, an industrial town of about 50,000 inhabitants in western Sweden that has a large proportion of immigrants.

Police shot the suspect, a local man in his early 20s, who died of his injuries at a hospital. He had no criminal record.

"We are convinced that the assailant was driven by racist motives when he carried out the act," police chief Niclas Hallgren told Swedish public service radio.

"We have reached this conclusion based on what we found when we searched his apartment and his behaviour during the act, and also on the basis of how he selected his victims."

News
A brief history of Christmas bans
A brief history of Christmas bans

These days, Christmas is hard to miss and nearly impossible to avoid. But at various times it has been banned in different countries, including Britain. This is the story …

Organisers of Christmas evangelistic campaign thrilled with impact
Organisers of Christmas evangelistic campaign thrilled with impact

Organisers of this year's Shine Your Light Christmas evangelistic outreach have been "overwhelmed" by the response from local churches.

Reach out to others, says Salvation Army, as 1.8 million Brits set to spend Christmas Day alone
Reach out to others, says Salvation Army, as 1.8 million Brits set to spend Christmas Day alone

People are being urged to reach out after polling suggested 1.8 million UK adults will spend Christmas Day alone, even though they do not want to.

Another Christmas in hardship for Gaza church
Another Christmas in hardship for Gaza church

For Christians sheltering in the Holy Family parish in Gaza, there will be few comforts this Christmas.