Finland: Twelve-year-old shoots children at primary school – one dead

Finland
Twelve-year-old shoots at his peers at a primary school – one dead, two injured

Police were able to arrest the suspected shooter in Vantaa, a suburb of Finland’s capital Helsinki

© Markku Ulander/Lehtikuva / Action Press

In Finland, a minor shot several children in a primary school. The suspect was arrested at the scene.

A twelve-year-old child is in one after being shot Primary school in the Finnish town of Vantaa near Helsinki died. Two other children were seriously injured, Finnish police announced on Tuesday. Authorities were contacted on Tuesday morning after a shooting occurred on the grounds of a primary school in Vantaa, north of Helsinki, Finnish police said. Initially she spoke of three injured twelve-year-olds. The emergency services arrested a student in front of the school. The suspected perpetrator who was arrested was also a twelve-year-old. The alleged perpetrator had a firearm with him. According to the police, the arrest went smoothly.

Three injured children in elementary school

According to their own information, the police arrived at the scene of the attack in the suburb of Vantaa, north of Helsinki, around 9 a.m. (local time, 8 a.m. CEST), and the suspected perpetrator was caught about an hour later.

The police were initially unable to provide any information about the health status of the injured children. The public was asked to stay away from the area. The incident is being further investigated on site. During the large-scale operation, the emergency services cordoned off the school.

After the crime, the students at the Viertola School were initially supervised in their classes. Public broadcaster Yle reported that worried parents rushed to the school. Police officers there looked after them. According to Finnish media, a crisis team made up of employees from the school and the city administration has been set up.

School has two locations in Finland

The affected school in Vantaa has two locations, according to its website. Around 800 children between the ages of seven and 15 are taught there.

Note: This article has been updated several times.

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