(NewsReady.com) – After the Columbine massacre in Colorado, people claimed bullying was the reason the two killers murdered 13 people. It was also looked at as the cause of other school shootings across the country over the years. Authorities in Finland are now blaming bullying for a shooting in their country.
On April 2, a 12-year-old, sixth-grade boy allegedly entered the Viertola school in Vantaa, near Helsinki, and opened fire. He killed a fellow 12-year-old and severely injured two other kids. After the shooting, the child ran away from the scene, but police managed to capture him about 2.5 miles away.
According to a press release from the Finnish Police, Eastern Uusimaa police made some progress in the investigation into the shooting. The suspect reportedly took the gun from one of his family members, which is being investigated separately from the school shooting.
Officers also determined the child was motivated by bullying. Police stated that during the questioning of the suspect, that’s what he said drove him to kill his classmate and injure the others.
In addition to the school shooting, police claimed the suspect threatened other students who were leaving the school after the shooting. He also threatened students on the way to school. Because of his age, authorities could not arrest or detain him. In Finland, 12-year-olds can’t be held criminally responsible for their actions. He was handed over to welfare officials after questioning.
Police also warned there’s a lot of misinformation online, including screenshots of social media profiles related to people who have no involvement in the case. Authorities warned that spreading false information about people is a crime and could result in innocents being hurt.
The school shooting wasn’t the first of its kind in Finland. There were incidents in 2007 and 2008. Twenty people died in those shootings, prompting lawmakers to make changes to the nation’s gun laws, including adding an aptitude test.
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