3 students injured in Finland after school shooting outside Helsinki, police say

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Three 12-year-old students were injured in a shooting at a school in southern Finland on Tuesday, according to authorities in the Nordic country.

Police said in a statement that a suspect, also 12, was arrested over the incident that took place in Vantaa, a suburb of the capital Helsinki, with an investigation ongoing.

"Police apprehended the suspect in Helsinki. The arrest went off peacefully. The perpetrator was in possession of a firearm and the suspect and the weapon are in police custody," said the statement.

"All those involved in the shooting incident are minors. According to police information, there are three injured," police had also noted.

Authorities have urged local residents to stay indoors and away from the scene of the shooting, cautioning them not to open their doors to strangers.

The shooting took place at the Viertola school, where roughly 800 students from the first to the ninth grade study and 90 staff members work, according to local media.