Finland school shooting: one child killed and two injured after 12-year-old opens fire at Vantaa school

A child has been killed and two other have been injured after a 12-year-old opened fire on a secondary school in Finland.

Armed police were called to Viertola school just before 9am local time on Tuesday, April 2 after reports of a shooting. Local residents were urged to stay inside during the operation.

The shooting suspect, 12, fled the scene after firing bullets on the campus. They were later caught by officer near Helsinki, around a 50 minute walk from the school.

Police confirmed that a 12-year-old student was killed following the incident. The two other students, also both 12, have been hospitalised.

Viertola school welcomes students from seven-years-old to 15-years-old, hosting both a primary school and a middle school on the site. More than 800 students attend the school.

Finnish interior minister Mari Rantanen said in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "The day started in a horrifying way. There has been a shooting incident at the Viertola school in Vantaa. I can only imagine the pain and worry that many families are experiencing at the moment. The suspected perpetrator has been caught."