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Investigators declined to be more specific about the weapons used. A police press conference was scheduled for later Thursday.

Laith Alazze, a 14 year-old student at Kronan, said at first he thought the attacker — who was clad in black with a mask — had something to do with Halloween.

“One of my friends walked over to him to challenge him, but when we saw he stabbed him (the teacher), we ran away,” Alazze told Sweden’s TV4.

The three wounded underwent surgery later Thursday at the Norra Alvsborgs Lanssjukhus hospital. Dr. Lars Spetz told reporters the one teacher had been stabbed in the abdomen while the two students — boys aged 11 and 15 — were stabbed in the abdomen, liver and chest.

“They hover between life and death,” Spetz said.

Police spokeswoman Maria Randsalu said the second victim was a male student, but did not say which one.

The attacker, who was also at the hospital, had gunshot wounds to his lower chest, Spetz said.

Swedish media said the school held a meeting Thursday morning to discuss teachers’ fears that the school was too open. The Dagens Nyheter newspaper said students must go through a public cafe to reach the school’s cafeteria and other parts of the building.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, who headed to the scene, described Thursday as a “black day.”

“My thoughts go out to the victims and their families, the students and staff, and the whole community that has been affected,” Lofven said. “No words can describe what they are going through right now.”

With files from the National Post.