A child was killed and two others were seriously injured Tuesday when a student opened fire at a school in southern Finland, local authorities said.
All of the victims were 12 years old, according to police. The suspect—also 12—was taken into custody after fleeing the scene of the shooting at the Viertola school in Vantaa, a suburb of Helsinki.
Police said one of the victims died at the scene, while the other two are currently hospitalized with serious injuries.
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Local authorities said they responded to the incident shortly before 9 a.m. The suspect—who has not been named—allegedly ran after the attack but was later detained without incident in a district of northern Helsinki. Police said the gun had also been recovered.
The local municipality said the Viertola school has around 800 students from first to ninth grade and a staff of 90. Finnish media reported that worried parents had started to gather at the school—which is split across two sites—after news of the shooting emerged.
“The day started in a shocking way,” Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen wrote in an X post. “There has been a shooting incident at Viertola school in Vantaa. I can only imagine the pain and worry many families are experiencing right now.”
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said he is following the situation closely and is waiting for further information from police. “My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and the other students and staff of Viertola school,” he wrote.
