“The suspect stated during interrogations that he was the target of bullying and this information was also confirmed in the police’s preliminary investigation,” said a police statement, which was reported by the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, among others. The boy had been attending Viertola school in Vantaa, a city next to the capital Helsinki, since the beginning of this year.
‘Would have been alone a lot’
So he was bullied there, although it is unclear what kind of bullying it was. According to the Finnish newspaper, the boy told his classmates that he felt like he was being bullied and that he had been alone a lot in recent months. The director of the school announced at a press conference that the school ‘knew nothing about bullying behavior in the classroom’.
“Of course we will find out where the bullying took place and how long it lasted,” the police said.
The boy decided to go to his school yesterday with a handgun from a relative and shoot at several classmates. One boy died on the spot. Two girls were taken to hospital with ‘very serious’ injuries and are continuing to be treated there.
The boy fled after the shooting, but was found by police within an hour in a nearby neighborhood.
Children at other schools were also threatened
The preliminary investigation also shows that the boy threatened other students with the firearm after the shooting. Those children were on their way to a school in Helsinki. What exactly happened during that threat is still under further investigation.
Yesterday it became clear that the boy had made a confession. But because he is only 12 years old, he cannot be held criminally responsible for his actions. The police reported today that the boy has now been handed over to social services.
Many flowers, cuddly toys and candles were placed at the school yesterday and today.
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