02 April 2024 , 07:29
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A 12-year-old child has died after being wounded in school shooting in Finland.
Police were called to the incident at Viertola primary school in Vantaa at 8.08am UK time following reports that several shots had been fired. Two children aged 12 were left wounded. Officers confirmed that a suspect, also aged 12, had been detained. Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat said the suspect was caught in the Helsinki area at around 10am, local time in the suburb of Siltamaki - a 50-minute walk from the school.
Pupils are reported to have hid as the attack unfolded, while others told their parents on the phone that they had seen what had happened. Reports emerging after the shooting said teachers had locked children in their classrooms. The school's principal Sari Laasila has since said: "The immediate danger is over."
The shooting at a primary school in Finland left three children injured (@Theanatoliapost/X)Armed officers remain at the scene alongside other members of the emergency services. Local residents were meanwhile been advised to stay away from the area, remain indoors, and told not to open the door to strangers. The school has two sites, Liljatie and Jokiranta. Today's shooting took place at the Jokiranta campus. The victims and the suspect were apparently from the same class, Finnish broadcaster MTV Uutiset reported.
Finnish police said in a statement: "The police arrested the suspect. The investigation of the act continues." The suspect is said to have been arrested just before 10am in the Siltakylantie area of Helsinki, which is 50 minute walk from the school. Police had stopped a young person who had knelt down to pick up a weapon he had dropped on the floor.
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Members of the public have been advised to stay in their homes and not to open doors to strangers (Markku Ulander/REX/Shutterstock)Eyewitnesses told Finnish public broadcaster YLE that two ambulances had left the scene. Headteacher Sari Laasila said later on Tuesday morning: "The immediate danger is over". The school, which is located across two sites, has around 800 students aged between seven to 15, and 90 staff. Children had returned to classes on Tuesday following the Easter public holiday weekend.
Despite having the highest rate of gun ownership in Europe, with approximately 32.4 firearms owned per 100 people, school shootings are not common in Finland. Two deadly incidents took place at a secondary school in 2007 and a university in 2008, with the second attack understood to have been inspired by the first. Gun laws were tightened in wake of the shootings, including new rules introduced on short firearms, such as pistols and revolvers.
Local residents were meanwhile been advised to stay away from the area and remain indoorsPrime Minister Petteri Orpo said the shooting was deeply shocking. He wrote on Twitter: "My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and the other students and staff. The day started in a horrifying way. There has been a shooting incident at the Viertola school in Vantaa.
"I can only imagine the pain and worry that many families are experiencing at the moment. The suspected perpetrator has been caught," interior minister Mari Rantanen posted on the social media platform.