Three 12-year-olds were shot when a fourth 12-year-old opened fire at a school on Tuesday morning.
One of the children was killed instantly, Finnish police said at a press conference at 12 noon Norwegian time. Two others are critically injured.
The suspected boy (12) has been questioned and admitted to being behind the incident.
The shooting took place at the primary and secondary school in Vanda, which has around 800 pupils. All those involved were in the sixth form.
Three 12-year-olds were shot at a primary and secondary school in Vantaa in Finland on Tuesday morning. One of them has been confirmed killed, while the other two are critically injured. The school has around 800 pupils and 90 employees.
Who is the perpetrator?A 12-year-old child has been arrested and suspected of the shooting. The person was in possession of a firearm, which the police have now seized. No one else is a suspect in the case.
What happens now?The case is being investigated as murder and attempted murder. As the perpetrator is 12 years old, he is not criminally responsible. Crisis teams are in place to help those affected.
Is this common in Finland?Finland has had several school shootings over the years. The country with over 5.5 million inhabitants has more than 1.5 million licensed firearmsWeapons that are legally registered and that you have received permission from the authorities to own. and around 430,000 licensees, according to Reuters.
The police have seized a firearm that the 12-year-old suspect was wearing when he was arrested.
The weapon is registered to a “close family member”, the police said.
The motive behind the shooting is currently unclear.
The case is being investigated as murder and attempted murder. As the perpetrator is 12 years old, he is not criminally responsible.
The boy will be taken care of by child protection.
– We thought we had learned
Vantaa is located north of the capital Helsinki. The city has around 200,000 inhabitants and is Finland’s fourth largest city.
– The shooting in Vanda is deeply shocking. My thoughts go out to the victims, their loved ones and all students and staff at the school, writes Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on X.
The police state that they receive various messages weekly about threats against schools and that they often have to show their presence at schools.
– We thought we had learned from previous school shootings. Such a day should never have happened, says police chief Seppo Kolehmainen.
Finland has had several school shootings over the years.
The country with over 5.5 million inhabitants has more than 1.5 million licensed firearmsWeapons that are legally registered and that you have received permission from the authorities to own. and around 430,000 licensees, according to Reuters.
Had to seek coverage
The first report of a shooting at the school came at 08:00 Norwegian time.
Police chief Tiia Palmén previously told Finnish MTV Uutiset that they had information that children were hiding inside the school. To Ilta-Sanomat, principal Laasila said that those present sought cover inside the school and waited for instructions from the police.
An eyewitness tells the newspaper Iltalehti that he was at work nearby when he heard shots.
– Then there was a terrible scream and several children ran across the square, he tells the newspaper.
It was only when heavily armed forces arrived at the scene that he realized it was a school shooting.
Another witness told the newspaper that he saw the police arresting the perpetrator around 9am Norwegian time, and that the person “looked like a little boy”.
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