Swedish police now considering terror as motive for multiple stabbing
Police refused to comment on a possible motive, what weapon was used or the suspect's nationality.
Swedish police on Wednesday said they were investigating a stabbing rampage in southern Sweden where eight people were injured in a suspected terrorist attack.
“We are probing this [incident] as attempted murder but due to details in the investigation we are also investigating possible terrorist motives," Malena Grann of the regional police force told a press conference.
She said the Swedish security service Sapo were assisting the police.
Earlier, police said they shot and arrested a young man after he apparently stabbed eight people in central Vetlanda, a small town in southern Sweden.
He attacked the people in several locations, a few hundred metres apart.
Jonas Lindell of the local police told reporters that the suspected assailant had not been questioned and was in hospital but his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. He was thought to have acted alone.
"The suspect was armed at the time of his arrest," he added, declining to comment on a possible motive, what weapon was used or the suspect's nationality.
Police had not had any prior indication of a threat against Vetlanda or from the suspected assailant, who was previously known for petty crimes, Lindell said.
Eight victims in hospital
Eight people were injured in the attack and taken to hospital, but Lindell said he could not provide further details.
Lindell also refused to comment what sort of weapon was used, stating that police did not want to influence witness accounts.
Due to the incident, train services to Vetlanda, about 275 kilometres south-west of Stockholm, were temporarily interrupted.
The national terror alert level was not affected, Sapo said.
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven condemned the incident and sent his condolences to the victims and their loved ones.
"I would urge everyone to send a thought to those affected by the violence and to the men and women in the health service, the police and in the municipality who work to care for the injured and restore security," he said.