TRIBUTES have been paid to a “sweet” 17-year-old girl who was killed as a former student brandished a sword at a school in Sweden.

The attack happened at Brinell High School in Fagersta, and an 18-year-old man has been arrested after armed police shot him in the leg.

Police special forces work at the scene in Fagersta on Friday

Multiple ambulances and police teams were deployed to the scene

Police have confirmed that the victim is a 17-year-old female, and that her family has been informed, but have not released her name.

Elena, 18, was in the student council room when she heard screams – and locked herself in.

“I heard screams and people running up the stairs. Then a friend wrote to me that someone had been stabbed and that I should stay there,” she told Aftonbladet.

It was hours later that the teenager found out that her friend had been killed.

Describing the victim, Elena said: “The first time you talked to her, it felt like you had known her for years.

“She was always understanding and the sweetest girl in the world.”

The pair had met up the day before, and had plans to study at the same university after graduation.

Describing her friend, Elena said: “The first time you talked to her, it felt like you had known her for years. She was always understanding and the sweetest girl in the world.”

Fagersta residents leave flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial outside the school

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and Social Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson visit the site

“We had so much hope that everything would be fine, we were told that she was in hospital and having surgery, but it turned out that she passed away immediately,” she added.

“We had so much hope, but everything was shattered. It hurts my heart to know that it’s my best friend, I’ll never see or talk to her again.”

Three other people were wounded in the bloodbath on Friday, including two boys aged 12 and 17 who suffered serious injuries.

The third person, who was also under 18, was slightly injured and has been discharged from hospital.

More than 70 people turned up to pay tribute to the victim

A suspect was arrested at the scene

A makeshift memorial has been set up outside the school, where dozens of people turned up carrying flowers and candles.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson visited the scene along with opposition leader Magdalena Andersson.

“What must never happen has happened again,” Kristersson said. “Our thoughts go first and foremost to the families who have been incredibly hard hit by this.”

Police are currently ⁠investigating whether a TikTok account that posted a picture ​of ⁠a sword 20 minutes before the assault belonged to the suspect.

According to the Dagens Nyheter newspaper, the image appeared to have ⁠been taken in a restroom at the school.

Before it was taken down on Friday, the ​month-old ⁠account contained videos that referred to two ‌episodes of mass violence in Sweden and to Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik.

One of the videos referenced a 2015 attack in which a masked swordsman killed a teaching ‌assistant and two boys at a school in Trollhattan, western ‌Sweden, before being shot dead by police.

“The investigators are looking into various online communities which might have egged on the suspect to carry out the attack,” the police source said.

The name of the suspect is yet to be released.

Prosecutors ordered ‌his detention on ​suspicion of murder and several counts of attempted ‌murder.

Prosecutor Ann-Sofie Trossing said: “The investigation is at an intense stage. ​

“We are conducting interrogations and gathering information, but I cannot go into specifics.”

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16882189/girl-killed-sword-attack-sweden/