Expert: Fagersta school attack stopped quickly, but prevention requires better collaboration

A school attack in Fagersta, Sweden, was swiftly neutralized by police, who apprehended an 18-year-old suspect within ten minutes of the first alarm. The rapid response involved police firing shots at the individual, though they reported he was not hit. Lena Ljungdahl, a school safety specialist and former police officer, described the operation as "very fast," attributing the success to well-trained police forces who have unfortunately had to practice their skills in real-life scenarios multiple times in Sweden.

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They were a bit lucky that there was actually a patrol that was so close and could go in so quickly.

Ljungdahl highlighted that while police are trained to handle such critical incidents, a degree of luck was involved in this case. "They were a bit lucky that there was actually a patrol that was so close and could go in so quickly," she stated. Beyond technical skills, Ljungdahl stressed the paramount importance of mental preparedness for officers confronting active threats. She explained that continuous mental preparation, including contemplating "what would happen if I am the first one on the scene?", is essential for effectively applying their knowledge.

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The police are quite well-trained for these kinds of events. Both that one has been trained in one's work method and that one in Sweden unfortunately has had to test it live a few times.

While acknowledging that lone-actor school attacks are difficult to prevent, Ljungdahl advocated for improved collaboration between municipalities, schools, social services, and the police. She pointed out that in a significant majority of such cases, there are "leakages" – prior indications or even detailed plans – that go unnoticed. "It very rarely comes like a bolt from the blue," she commented. The investigation into the Fagersta incident is examining a sword image posted on TikTok shortly before the attack, but Ljungdahl cautioned that determining if the perpetrator could have been identified through social media activity is premature, though desirable.

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It is what you want most – to neutralize and apprehend without the person dying. Then the chance increases that we find out why afterwards.