Five people wounded in Sweden school shooting: police

Five people were shot and wounded at a school in the central Swedish city of Orebro on Tuesday, police said, urging the public to stay away from the area as a large operation was underway.

Images from the scene showed a large police presence with multiple ambulances and emergency vehicles outside the school.

"The extent of the injuries is unclear. The operation is ongoing," police said in a statement.

Police originally said in a statement that four people had been shot, but updated the tally minutes later to five.

The crime was initially being investigated as "attempted murder, arson and an aggravated weapons offence".

Members of the public were urged to stay away from the area, or stay inside their homes.

In an update just after 2:00 pm (1300 GMT), police stressed that "the danger is not over. The public MUST stay away."

Students in nearby schools and the school in question had been locked in "for safety reasons," police said.

Speaking to broadcaster SVT, Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the reports were "very serious".

"The government is in close contact with the police and is closely following developments," Strommer told SVT.

According to several Swedish media, witnesses reported hearing what they believed to be automatic gunfire.

Newspaper Aftonbladet wrote that it had received reports that the local hospital had emptied its emergency room and intensive care unit in anticipation of the wounded.