What was claimed
The gunman behind Sweden’s worst mass shooting was Syrian.
Our verdict
False. The gunman was Swedish man Rickard Andersson.
AAP FACTCHECK - False claims about the identity of the man behind Sweden’s worst mass shooting continue to spread on social media.
Among the mistruths circulating are that the shooter, who is thought to have killed himself after killing 10 others, was Syrian and Muslim.
Rickard Andersson, 35, opened fire at Risbergska adult educational centre in the city of Orebro, 200km west of Stockholm, on February 4, 2025.
Some social media posts in the aftermath of the attack claimed the shooter was Syrian and that the attack was a case of ethnic gang violence.
Others claimed he was Muslim, such as a Facebook post that described the incident as “another massacre carried out by MUSLIM migrants”.
A widely shared X post described Andersson as Muslim and even shared an image of an unrelated man.
Andersson’s identity was confirmed by the prosecutor leading the investigation and photos of the 35-year-old, as reported by the BBC and Swedish news channel SVT, prove he is not the man in the X post.
As well as different nose shape, hair colour and skin tone, the real Andersson has distinct ear lobes.
Other social media posts misidentified a completely different man with blond hair.
Few details have been released about Andersson, including anything regarding his religious or ideological beliefs.
Reuters has reported he lived alone in the city, with relatives describing him as a recluse.
It is understood he had enrolled at the school where he carried out the attack for several mathematics classes, without finishing them.
The most recent class was in 2021.
There has been no evidence to suggest Andersson was Muslim or had any Syrian heritage.
Swedish police confirmed the suspect had no known connection to criminal gangs and they have said they are still investigating if the attack was racially motivated.
The school provided adult education for people over 20 who did not finish primary or secondary school as well as Swedish classes for immigrants.
The UK’s Daily Telegraph reported that a video recorded during the attack also shows someone, believed to be Andersson, shouting “you should go away from Europe”.
Both the Syrian and Bosnian embassies in Stockholm released statements on social media reporting that nationals had been killed in the shooting.
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