Swedish mass shooting victims include Christians who fled Syria

Ten years ago, Salim Iskef fled Syria—where Islamic State militants had killed his father—for Sweden, only to be gunned down this week by an unemployed Swedish man with no apparent ideological motive.

The 29-year-old victim was one of several members of Sweden’s Syriac-speaking community caught up in Tuesday’s attack at an adult education school in Orebro. The shooting left 11 people dead, including the attacker, and many injured.

He was due to get married this summer and had recently bought a house with his fiancée.

“He had so many beautiful plans and so many beautiful dreams,” said Jacob Kaselia, a priest at St. Mary’s Church in Orebro. “All gone in a second.”

Syrian Christian community shaken

Sweden’s Syriac-speaking Christian community has nearly 200,000 members, with about 5,000 living in Orebro.

Family members of mass shooting victim Salim Iskef mourn at St. Mary's Church in Orebro, Sweden, February 6, 2025.Reuters

Another Syriac speaker was among the wounded. Two others told Reuters they were present when the gunman opened fire before apparently turning one of his weapons on himself.

Police said victims included people of various ages, genders, and nationalities but have not yet released their names.

The shooting took place at Risbergska, an adult education center offering Swedish language classes for immigrants. Authorities are investigating whether the attacker, identified by Swedish media as Rickard Andersson, was once a student there.

After being shot, Iskef managed to call his mother and fiancée. He told them he loved them. It was the last they heard from him.

“His fiancée is totally destroyed,” said Kaselia. “We try to help her, but honestly, it’s very hard.”

Iskef was from Aleppo, Syria, where Islamic State extremists have targeted the Syriac-speaking minority since the country’s civil war began in 2011.

Sweden, while accustomed to gang violence, has never seen a school shooting of this scale.

Merwa, a close friend of Iskef’s, was shot at by the gunman but was unharmed. She used her friend’s scarf to try to stop the bleeding of a wounded man.

“We’re still in shock. We didn’t think this could happen in Sweden, especially in a school,” she said. She added she is unlikely to return. “I really don’t think so.”

Police said Thursday they have yet to determine a motive.

“Why did he do this? What was in his brain? We don’t know,” said Kaselia. “I feel sorry for him. We must pray that the Lord forgives him.”