"Emotions go up and down all the time," says Mokhtar Bennis, director of upper secondary and adult education in Örebro.
But sometimes I just get this feeling, this damn, nasty, senseless neighborhood has ruined so many people.
Sheltered
He himself was on site at Campus Risbergska when the perpetrator Rickard Andersson opened fire and, like many teachers and students, was held inside the school while waiting for the police. He believes that experience has helped him in the year that followed, although he would have preferred to do without it.
I've seen and heard and experienced everything. But it also means that with hindsight, maybe it would have helped me handle the situation differently.
The year has been difficult, both personally and professionally, with many tough decisions to make.
It has been challenging to find a balance between leading professionally and being credible while also managing my own emotions.
After renovation, the premises at Campus Risbergska reopened for teaching in August 2025. Mokhtar Bennis says it was liberating to return, even though he also received criticism for the decision.
I have received criticism that I, who was present during the incident, should have had opinions on it, but I thought the opposite. I see that the win is to move forward and not let evil win.
Wanted to return quickly
For Åsa Björkman, principal of SFI at Risbergska, it was important to get back to school as soon as possible.
I've wanted to go back and expose myself to being here. So I've just felt joy. I know it's not like that for everyone, but I think this is a good place to be.
She was also present at the shooting, but was able to get out the back door along with several others when they realized what was happening.
The shots continued to be heard from inside the school, so we had to run as fast as we could.
Åsa Björkman says that she has carried a lot of anger after the incident.
We have really done our utmost to provide education, and then someone comes here and commits violence against it. And it is clear that there was a lot of anger in the beginning.
