Finnish Student Suspected of School Shooting Cited Bullying as Motive

A shooting incident at a school in Vantaa, Finland, left one student dead and two others severely injured. The suspect, a 12-year-old boy, had transferred to the Finnish school at the beginning of 2024. According to various reports, the boy was a target of bullying. The attack occurred on a day that Finland was observing a day of mourning due to the shooting being reminiscent of previous school shootings in 2007 and 2008 which resulted in almost 20 deaths and led to stricter gun legislation in the country. The boy was taken into police custody after the incident, during which he reportedly confessed to the crime and mentioned bullying as the motive. The victims and the suspect were classmates. The shooting caused concern among parents, with some having to wait for hours outside the school to pick up their children. The Finnish authorities have confirmed that the motive was indeed bullying.