Syrian refugee among Swedish shooting victims

A Syriac-speaking community in Sweden is grieving the death of an Aleppo refugee, following a mass shooting on February 4th, The National reported on February 11th.

Salim Iskef was among ten other people killed in an adult education centre, located in Orebro, Iskef, 29, fled Syria a decade ago, after ISIS militants murdered his father.

Around 400 people attended a memorial service for Iskef led by his friend and priest, Jacob Kaselia. Speaking of his friend, who was set to get married in the summer of this year, Kaselia said: “He had so many beautiful plans and so many beautiful dreams… All gone in a second.”

Father-of-two Bassam Al Sheleh was another victim who had fled the war in Syria to be named, reported Swedish outlet Expressen. Just hours before he was gunned down at his school, which offers adult courses and Swedish language classes for immigrants, the 48-year-old posted a video on social media, wishing his followers a good day.

Bassam Al Sheleh, baker and father, was described as a “joy maker” who was “talented” and a “really nice person.” One friend, who spoke anonymously to Swedish reporters, said: “He always had a smile on his face and spread joy around him.”

“He was a very driven person. He has been working since day one after he came to Sweden,” she added.

Authorities, who arrived at the scene just five minutes after an anonymous emergency call, called the tragic scene an “inferno” that resulted in “dead people and injured people, screams and smoke.”

The police revealed that the attack killed seven women and three men between the ages of 28 and 68.  The suspected shooter was identified as Rickard Andersson, a 35-year-old who police described as a recluse.

While investigators are yet to confirm that there was a particular motive for the attack, police told The Independent on February 6th that they are not ruling out the possibility of racist motivation.

The National, Expressen, The Independent