On Tuesday morning, two women were attacked in Stockholm by a masked man armed with an object. The police are classifying the attacks as attempted murder.

It was just after 11 o’clock when the police were called to the Slakthusområdet area near Globen. Two women in their 30s had been attacked by a man who had struck them with a hard object on the head.

The victims were awake and able to speak when the police arrived but needed hospital care. The women are not believed to be seriously injured. Several people witnessed the incident.

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The incident took place at the social services office and was initially classified as aggravated assault. Later in the day, the police announced that they had initiated a preliminary investigation into attempted murder.

“It has to do with the fact that it happened in connection with the workplace, the social services office,” said police spokesperson Rebecca Landberg to state television.

After the assault, the masked perpetrator disappeared from the scene, and the police launched a large search operation.

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