1 student killed, 2 injured in Vantaa school shooting, suspect held

A student of a school in Vantaa was killed and two others were critically injured when another student of the school attacked them with firearm on Tuesday morning.

Police said that the incident took place at about 9:00 am at Viertola school in Vantaa when the 12-year-old student entered into the classroom and fired gunshots at the students and fled away

Three of the students sustained bullet wounds in the attack and one of them died on the spot. The rest two were taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Responding to an alarm, police rushed to the spot and conducted extensive search at the school and adjacent area and later arrested the suspect along with the firearm from Helsinki area at about 11:15 am.

Police, however, did not divulge detail about the incident and the victims but said that all the victims including the deceased and the attacker are the students of class six.

The attacker used a handgun licensed to a close relative.

"The people involved in the shooting are all sixth-graders. One of the victims died at the scene, two of the victims were taken to hospital for treatment. The injuries of both victims who were taken to hospital are very serious," said Detective Chief Inspector Marko Särkkä.

The police started investigation into the incident and interrogated the suspect. The Police will talk to the eyewitnesses to get more information. Members of the law enforcing agency also conducted a technical investigation at the school, which will continue on Wednesday.

"The police are investigating, among other things, the motive for the act and the reasons for the incident," Särkkä said, adding that they would provide more information on Wednesday afternoon.

There are about 800 pupils in grades 1 to 9 and 90 staff in the Viertola school situated in two locations.

Meanwhile, the City of Vantaa has published a list of those providing crisis assistance to children, young people and adults.