The 12-year-old boy who shot three peers at school in Finland was bullied. This was his motive for the violence, which cost the life of one victim, the Finnish police reported.
“The suspect stated during interrogations that he was the target of harassment and this information was also confirmed in the police preliminary investigation,” a police statement said. The suspect has been at the Viertola school in Vantaa, a city next to the capital Helsinki, since the beginning of this year. He fled after Tuesday’s shooting and was found by police within an hour in a nearby neighborhood.
The boy shot several classmates. A boy died on the spot. Two girls were taken to hospital with ‘very serious’ injuries and are continuing to be treated there. 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. This is still being investigated further.
Weapons permit
The boy had the firearm with him when he was arrested by the police. The handgun is owned by a close family member. That person had a firearms permit and is being investigated in a separate investigation, the police reported on Wednesday.
On Tuesday it was announced 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 report that the boy has now been handed over to social services.
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Tags: Shooter Finnish school bullied threatened children weapons drama
 at Finnish school was bullied, threatened other children with weapons after drama | Abroad){kind=link}