At eleven o'clock on Tuesday morning, two women were assaulted by a masked person in Johanneshov in southern Stockholm, according to the police.
The two women are not seriously injured, but have been taken to hospital for check-ups.
The masked person disappeared from the scene after the assault and is now being sought by the police. Several people witnessed the incident.
The police are investigating the incident as attempted murder.
The women are employed by social services in Stockholm, several media outlets report.
Minister of Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall says in a written comment that the Government Offices are in contact with the police.
"I have been reached by the nasty news that two employees in southern Stockholm have been attacked during a break outside their workplace. We do not yet know all the circumstances of what happened or the motive behind it, but regardless, it is terrible," says Waltersson Grönvall.
The Swedish Association of Social Workers (SSR) writes in a press release that "a state investigation or safety commission needs to be appointed" to develop solutions on how threats and violence against social workers can be reduced.
"We see that violence and threats are part of everyday life for many social workers. It is necessary for the government and municipalities to jointly take responsibility for safety," says Fredrik Hjulström, social policy manager at the union.
