Early Tuesday, a tragic incident occurred at a Finnish primary school that resulted in the death of a 12-year-old boy and serious injuries to two others of the same age. The authorities have arrested the perpetrator, who is also a 12-year-old schoolboy, and he has admitted responsibility for the shooting. The incident took place at the Viertola school in Vantaa, a city in the Helsinki metropolitan area, with about 800 students and 90 staff members.
The reasons for the attack are unclear, and the authorities are still investigating the motive behind this terrible event. The Minister of Education, Anna-Maja Henriksson, expressed deep sadness over the incident and emphasized the loss of a young life and the serious injuries to those affected. The Minister of the Interior, Mari Rantanen, also offered condolences to those affected by this tragedy and confirmed that they had captured the suspected perpetrator.
This school shooting has once again brought attention to Finland’s gun policy as it has experienced similar incidents in the past. In 2007 and 2008, two separate shootings resulted in multiple casualties prompting changes to firearm legislation. Finland introduced a proficiency test for firearms license applicants and raised the age limit for obtaining a license. With over 1.5 million licensed firearms in their country, measures have been taken to prevent such tragedies from occurring again in future. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed shock at this incident and offered his condolences to those affected by this tragedy including victims’ families and school community.
