In a shocking turn of events, a Finnish primary school was rocked by tragedy on Tuesday morning. A 12-year-old boy was killed and two others of the same age were left with serious injuries in what is being called a shooting spree at the Viertola school in Vantaa, a city in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
The shooter, also a 12-year-old schoolboy, has been arrested and has admitted responsibility for the crime. With around 800 students and 90 staff members at the school, it’s unclear why this young person decided to take such drastic measures.
The incident has prompted an investigation into the motive behind the attack, as well as bringing attention to Finland’s gun policy. The country has had its share of similar incidents in the past, including two separate shootings that resulted in multiple casualties in 2007 and 2008. In response to these incidents, Finland introduced stricter firearm legislation, including a proficiency test for firearms license applicants and raising the age limit for obtaining a license.
With over 1.5 million licensed firearms in the country, measures have been taken to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed his shock at the incident and offered condolences to the victims, their families, and the school community. The Minister of Education Anna-Maja Henriksson also expressed her deep sadness over what happened and emphasized
