A tragedy shook Finland this Tuesday morning, April 2. A 12-year-old child died and two others were seriously injured after another child of the same age opened fire at a school in Vantaa, a town north of the capital, Helsinki. The shooter was arrested, but at this time the authorities still do not know the reasons which led him to open fire.
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According to initial police statements Finnish, the tragedy took place shortly after 9 a.m. this Tuesday morning. A student opened fire at the Viertola elementary school. This establishment welcomes approximately 800 students, aged 7 to 15, on two sites. The shooter and the three victims, one of whom died and two others seriously injured, are all 12 years old.
According to testimonies from parents of children attending this school, the tragedy occurred in a classroom. The information has not yet been confirmed by the authorities. Parents, moreover, flocked to this establishment to pick up their children.
The shooter, whose motives are still unknown, was apparently arrested without putting up the slightest resistance. A video of his detention was also broadcast on the website of a Finnish daily newspaper. This young person will not be incarcerated because he is under 15 years old, specifies a police official. He will be handed over to social services after his interrogation. A crisis unit bringing together staff from the school and the municipality has been set up.
“ I can only imagine the pain and worry many families are feeling right now », Reacted the Minister of the Interior, Mari Rantanen on X.
Päivä alkoi järkyttävällä tavalla. Vantaan Viertolan koululla on tapahtunut ampumavälikohtaus. Voin vain kuvitella sen tuskan ja huolen, jota monessa perheessä tällä hetkellä koetaan. Epäilty tekijä on saatu kiinni. Tiannetta johtaa @IUpoliisi.
— Mari Rantanen (@MariPSRantanen) April 2, 2024
Precedents in the 2000s
This is not the first time that the Finland faces this type of tragedy. In 2007, an 18-year-old man opened fire in a school, killing eight people. A year later, a shooting in a vocational school this time cost the lives of ten people. Threats against educational establishments have increased in recent years, according to a specialized Finnish magazine which points to mental health problems to explain this situation.