Gunman shoots 7 people at a school in Finland

MikeJ · 11-07-2007, 10:20 AM

From CNN:

Quote:

HELSINKI, Finland (CNN) -- An 18-year-old gunman opened fire at a school in Finland killing a headteacher Wednesday, in a shooting that appeared to have been planned out in graphic videos posted on Internet sharing site YouTube.
art.sturmgeist.youtube.jpg

An image from a video posted on YouTube by "Sturmgeist89."

The incident, believed to be the first of its kind in Finland's history, was claimed to be the work of Pekka-Eric Auvinen, who has also published a manifesto demanding war on the "weak-minded masses" and pledging to die for his cause.

YouTube suspended the videos, many of them featuring Nazi imagery, shortly after police in the town of Tuusula, near Helsinki, were reported to have apprehended the gunman.

One video posted by a user identified as "Sturmgeist89" earlier Wednesday was was titled "Jokela High School Massacre - 11/7/2007."

The school involved in the shooting was reported to be Jokela High, attended by more than 400 students, aged between 12 and 18.

Jarkko Sipila, a reporter with MTV, told CNN that the shooting happened around noon Finnish time (1000 GMT) in the quiet town around 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Helsinki.

Sipila said some of the pupils had fled to a nearby elementary school while police surrounded and sealed off the high school. Finnish news agency STT carried police comments that they had been fired at.

The Associated Press reported comments from Kim Kiuru, one of the school's teachers, on radio station YLE.

Kiuru described how the headmistress used the public address system around noon to tell pupils to stay in classrooms.

He said he locked his classroom door, then waited in the corridor for more news.

"After that I saw the gunman running with what appeared to be a small-caliber handgun in his hand through the doors towards me, after which I escaped to the corridor downstairs and ran in the opposite direction, " Kiuru said.

The agency reported Kiuru as saying that he saw a woman's body as he fled the school, before telling his pupils to leave the building through the windows.

Sipila said that at least four people in the school had suffered gunshot wounds and that others had been injured by shattered glass.

He added that the gunman, believed to be an 18-year-old 12th grader, is thought to have had a fascination with dictatorial figures such as Hitler and Stalin.

The school is believed, according to local media, to be
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Sipila said that Finland has around two million firearms, although gun laws are tough. "We do not know where he got it from," he said.

Police are scheduled to give a press conference at around 1500GMT.

This kind of behaviour is something I never will be able to understand.

Mikael · 11-07-2007, 12:26 PM

It's a sad day.

BBC News Video about the shooting: - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:

Fatal shooting at Finnish school

At least eight people have been killed and several others injured in a shooting at a school in southern Finland, police have said.

The incident took place in Tuusula, some 50km (30 miles) north of the capital Helsinki.

Finnish media reported that the shots had been fired by an 18-year-old man at the Jokela secondary school.

Finnish police say the gunman shot himself and is among those being treated in hospital.

Police inspector Tero Haapala said that the school has been evacuated and "there is no danger to outsiders".

Dr Eero Hirvensalo, the head of the medical response team, told the Associated Press news agency that one person was "severely injured" and that 10 others had minor injuries.

'Jumped from windows'

A Tuusula municipality spokeswoman said the gunman opened fire during a lesson at Jokela secondary school, which has 400 pupils between 12 and 18.

Students and staff fled in panic, and a number of heavily armed police were later seen rushing to the scene.

Kim Kiuru, a Jokela teacher, said the head teacher announced over the school public announcement's system just before noon (1000 GMT) that all students should remain in their classrooms.

"I stayed in the corridor to listen to more instructions having locked my classroom door," Mr Kiuru told Finland's YLE radio.

"After that I saw the gunman running with what appeared to be a small calibre handgun in his hand through the doors toward me after which I escaped to the corridor downstairs and ran in the opposite direction."

"It felt unreal - a pupil I have taught myself was running towards me, screaming, a pistol in his hand."

Mr Kiuru said he saw a woman's body as he fled the building. He said he then told his students to "jump out of the windows... and all my pupils were saved".

YouTube video

According to reports, a video called "Jokela high school massacre 11/7/2007" was posted on the YouTube website by an 18-year-old man during the past two weeks.

The video shows a picture of a building by a lake and two photos of a young man holding a gun.

Going by the username Sturmgeist89, the person who posted the video calls himself a "social Darwinist" who would "eliminate all who I see unfit". "Sturmgeist" means storm spirit in German.

The video has now been removed from the website and police have not yet commented on it.

It is the first reported shooting incident at a Finnish school.

A Finnish newspaper report (in English): - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Bruce · 11-07-2007, 12:52 PM

Absolutely terrible news.

Only in this day and age would something as such end up being posted on YouTube.

Mikael · 11-07-2007, 03:30 PM

Choleric · 11-07-2007, 03:59 PM

Truly Terrible tragedy.

bmer, Mike, how do you guys feel about the whole sitution?

MikeJ · 11-07-2007, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff

Truly Terrible tragedy.

bmer, Mike, how do you guys feel about the whole sitution?

For me, the strongest feeling at the moment is confusion. There's simply no logic in something like this. I do feel sad and sorry for those who lost their dear ones in this, too.

Choleric · 11-07-2007, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeJ

For me, the strongest feeling at the moment is confusion. There's simply no logic in something like this. I do feel sad and sorry for those who lost their dear ones in this, too.

Very understandable, It seems as though people have become numb to this sort of thing in the US because of how often they happen. Have they disclosed any information on why he may have done this?

shonguiz · 11-07-2007, 05:22 PM

What the **** is wrong with human kind ?!

Mikael · 11-07-2007, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff

Truly Terrible tragedy.

bmer, Mike, how do you guys feel about the whole sitution?

It's very tragic and I feel deeply sad for the people who lost their loved ones. At first I didn't believe it was as bad as it actually was. Somehow I still felt that something like this could happen here as well. There has been so many sad incidents during the last 10 years. It seems that youth and especially young men, aren't feeling good in general. So I was shocked but not completely surprised.

At this point it's hard to fully understand what has happened. And I propably never will for several reasons. Mainly because what he did was incomprehensible and ruthless. But also because I don't know anybody who lives there and therefor won't see the pain and grief they go through. I really hope they can go on with their lives after this shocking event.

The Emperor · 11-07-2007, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shonguiz

What the **** is wrong with human kind ?!

That's enigma for both me and you, my friend...Unfortunately.

11-07-2007, 12:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mikael Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,953 Thanks: 932 Thanked 414 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Gunman shoots 7 people at a school in Finland It's a sad day. BBC News Video about the shooting: - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: Fatal shooting at Finnish school At least eight people have been killed and several others injured in a shooting at a school in southern Finland, police have said. The incident took place in Tuusula, some 50km (30 miles) north of the capital Helsinki. Finnish media reported that the shots had been fired by an 18-year-old man at the Jokela secondary school. Finnish police say the gunman shot himself and is among those being treated in hospital. Police inspector Tero Haapala said that the school has been evacuated and "there is no danger to outsiders". Dr Eero Hirvensalo, the head of the medical response team, told the Associated Press news agency that one person was "severely injured" and that 10 others had minor injuries. 'Jumped from windows' A Tuusula municipality spokeswoman said the gunman opened fire during a lesson at Jokela secondary school, which has 400 pupils between 12 and 18. Students and staff fled in panic, and a number of heavily armed police were later seen rushing to the scene. Kim Kiuru, a Jokela teacher, said the head teacher announced over the school public announcement's system just before noon (1000 GMT) that all students should remain in their classrooms. "I stayed in the corridor to listen to more instructions having locked my classroom door," Mr Kiuru told Finland's YLE radio. "After that I saw the gunman running with what appeared to be a small calibre handgun in his hand through the doors toward me after which I escaped to the corridor downstairs and ran in the opposite direction." "It felt unreal - a pupil I have taught myself was running towards me, screaming, a pistol in his hand." Mr Kiuru said he saw a woman's body as he fled the building. He said he then told his students to "jump out of the windows... and all my pupils were saved". YouTube video According to reports, a video called "Jokela high school massacre 11/7/2007" was posted on the YouTube website by an 18-year-old man during the past two weeks. The video shows a picture of a building by a lake and two photos of a young man holding a gun. Going by the username Sturmgeist89, the person who posted the video calls himself a "social Darwinist" who would "eliminate all who I see unfit". "Sturmgeist" means storm spirit in German. The video has now been removed from the website and police have not yet commented on it. It is the first reported shooting incident at a Finnish school. A Finnish newspaper report (in English): - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

11-07-2007, 12:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bruce Crazy Canadian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: British Columbia Posts: 9,457 My Mood: Thanks: 3,577 Thanked 2,898 Times in 1,767 Posts Blog Entries: 2	Re: Gunman shoots 7 people at a school in Finland Absolutely terrible news. Only in this day and age would something as such end up being posted on YouTube.

11-07-2007, 03:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mikael Global Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,953 Thanks: 932 Thanked 414 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Gunman shoots 7 people at a school in Finland

11-07-2007, 03:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
Choleric Justice Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Great Plains Posts: 3,409 My Mood: Thanks: 564 Thanked 1,135 Times in 615 Posts	Re: Gunman shoots 7 people at a school in Finland Truly Terrible tragedy. bmer, Mike, how do you guys feel about the whole sitution?

11-07-2007, 05:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
shonguiz Fanatic Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,477 Thanks: 180 Thanked 296 Times in 179 Posts	Re: Gunman shoots 7 people at a school in Finland What the **** is wrong with human kind ?!

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