A tragic incident unfolded at a school near Helsinki, Finland, where one child lost their life, and two others were seriously injured in a shooting. The suspected attacker, a 12-year-old student, has been apprehended by the police.
The arrest took place without incident in the suburb of Siltamaki, away from the school premises. Both the suspect and the weapon are now in police custody. Currently, there are no other suspects in the case.
Authorities have not disclosed the identities of the suspect or victims, except to say that they are all 12-year-old Finnish students. The suspect, who has not yet entered a plea, confessed to the attack during an initial interview with the police. Due to their age, the suspect will be placed under the care of social services instead of being remanded into custody.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear. The handgun used in the shooting was registered to a relative of the suspect, according to the police.
The incident occurred at the Viertola school in Vantaa, a suburb of Helsinki, which has approximately 800 students and 90 staff members. Following the shooting, parents rushed to pick up their children from a different school building, several hundred meters away, as the affected area was cordoned off by the police.
A mother of an 11-year-old student at the school described receiving a message from her daughter, who was in a locked and darkened classroom after the shooting. The students were not allowed to speak on the phone but could communicate via messages, she said, expressing her daughter's fear and anxiety.
In response to the tragedy, Interior Minister Mari Rantanen expressed deep sympathy for the victims' families and emphasized the importance of addressing the pain and worry caused by such incidents.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also expressed shock over the shooting, extending his thoughts to the victims, their families, and the entire school community.
Finland has experienced similar tragedies in the past, prompting the government to tighten gun laws in 2010. Despite these measures, the country still has a significant number of licensed firearms and gun owners, reflecting the popularity of hunting and target shooting among its population.
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