Investigation into the shooting incident at Viertola school in Vantaa on Tuesday 02 April 2024 continues, including interviews with the individuals involved and technical investigation.
– It is clear that there are a lot of rumours and even misinformation about the case flying around. However, it is now important to leave it with professionals to investigate and to find out the facts. In the Eastern Uusimaa Police Department, we have tens of investigators actively working to establish and secure all relevant information concerning the shooting incident at Viertola school, says Detective Chief Inspector Marko Särkkä.
Although the police have made rapid progress in the criminal investigation, considering the circumstances, but it is expected to take months for the investigation to complete.
The police are actively monitoring public discussion in the case and, where possible, aim to correct inaccurate information in press releases.
– The investigation has revealed certain elements indicating that the offence was premeditated. When contents of the devices, such as a phone and laptop, seized from the suspect were analysed, there was some material found to support this view. We cannot say more about this for the purposes of the criminal investigation, says Särkkä.
The police said yesterday that after leaving the Viertola school, before the apprehension, the suspect had used a weapon to threaten pupils on their way to school in Siltamäki area in Helsinki. This incident is also being investigated. The police are requesting for eyewitness accounts of the suspect’s movements between the Viertola School and Siltamäki. Please send your observations to vihjeet.ita-uusimaa@poliisi.fi.
– There has been a lot of discussion on how the suspect got hold of the weapon used in the incident. The police have preliminary understanding about it, but investigation into the case investigated as a firearms offence is still underway, continues Särkkä.
The suspect’s family relations, state of health and other similar issues are also matters of great interest. The police remind the public that issues like that are to be kept confidential, and it is not possible to release such information to the public.
Two victims of the shooting incident are still in hospital care, and it may be possible to question of one of them in the next couple of days.
– It is easy to understand that people are interested in this exceptionally serious case, so we try to actively release information on the progress made in the investigation, concludes Särkkä.
