A tragic incident unfolded at a school in Finland on Tuesday when a young student fatally shot a 12-year-old and injured two others, according to police reports. The suspect, also 12 years old, was apprehended by law enforcement approximately an hour after the incident at Viertola school in the city of Vantaa, located about 10 miles north of Helsinki.
Despite Finland’s efforts to amend its gun laws following previous school shootings, gun ownership remains prevalent in the country.
“The shooting incident in Vantaa is deeply distressing,” Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on X.
Following two tragic school shootings in 2007 and 2008, resulting in the deaths of 20 individuals, Finland enacted stricter gun laws, sparking intense discussions on firearm regulations in a nation known for its hunting culture and firearms enthusiasts.
Implemented in 2011, one such law raised the minimum age for handgun ownership to 20 and mandated doctors to report individuals deemed unsuitable for firearm possession.
Despite these measures, Finland maintains one of Europe’s highest rates of firearm ownership, as per the 2018 Small Arms Survey conducted by the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva.
Finnish legislation allows firearm permits only for individuals demonstrating a legitimate need and meeting specific eligibility criteria.
The source of the handgun used in Tuesday’s school shooting remains unclear. However, authorities revealed that the firearm was licensed to a close relative of the suspect.