In a shocking incident, Finnish police apprehended a 12-year-old student on Tuesday on suspicion of fatally shooting a classmate and severely injuring two others at a school in Vantaa, just northeast of the capital, Helsinki. The tragic event took place shortly after 9 a.m. local time, prompting a swift police response.

Images from the scene portrayed a significant police presence at the school, which caters to approximately 800 students and has around 90 staff members. The school admits children aged 7 to 15. Upon arrival, the police found the suspect in possession of a licensed handgun that belonged to a close relative.

Authorities confirmed that the 12-year-old suspect had been taken into custody by 10 a.m. The incident is being investigated as murder and attempted murder due to the evident planning involved. However, considering the suspect's age, he is not deemed criminally responsible.

Investigation director Marko Särkkä stated that the suspect is scheduled to be interviewed by the police before being handed over to social services. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed his condolences, saying, "My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and the other students and staff of Viertola school." The government is closely monitoring the situation, awaiting updated information from the authorities.

Notably, Finland has witnessed relatively few school shootings in its history, with only four incidents occurring over the past 35 years. National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen expressed disappointment, stating, "We thought that as a society, we would have learned from previous school shootings. Such a day should not have happened."

In 1989, two 14-year-olds were fatally shot by a fellow student in Rauma, located in southwest Finland. The deadliest school shooting in the country occurred in 2008, when a 22-year-old individual took the lives of 10 people before ending his own. This tragedy led to stricter gun laws in Finland, where hunting remains a popular activity. There are currently around 430,000 licensed gun owners in the country, with a population of 5.5 million.