Finland school attack: One dead and 10 injured in stabbing spree in Kuopio shopping centre

At least ten people were harmed during the incident, with two suffering serious injuries

A student has killed at least one person and wounded nine others with a sword at a school in a shopping mall in Finland’s Northern Savonia region.

The suspect, a native Finnish man, was also carrying a firearm and stabbed students and staff in an attack at the Savo Vocational College located in the Herman shopping centre in the town of Kuopio, according to police.

Officers confirmed they had used firearms and had taken the suspect into custody. A statement from the East Finland Police said at least ten people were harmed during the incident, with two suffering serious injuries.

The apprehended suspect is among those taken to hospital. According to Finnish tabloid Iltalehti, a witness claimed the suspect pulled the weapon from a long bag he carried into class before launching attack on their teacher.

The witness account is yet to be confirmed by the authorities. Officers have said there is no ongoing threat to the public in relation to the attack, quashing various unsubstantiated rumours of suspects with guns or knives being at large.

“The violence at Savo Vocational College in Kuopio is shocking and completely unacceptable”, Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne said in a statement. ”I have spoken with the Director General of Police and the government is monitoring the situation closely”.

He added: “On behalf of myself and the entire Government, I extend my condolences to all the relatives.”

The nation’s justice minister Anna-Maja Henriksson added: “I strongly condemn the shocking acts of violence that have taken place in Kuopio.

“My condolences to relatives. Strength to all wounded, their relatives and students and staff of the Vocational College and all Kuopio residents.”

The nation has experience two deadly school attacks in the past 12 years. The first, in 2007, saw a student at Jokela High School to the south of the country shoot 8 people dead before killing himself.

In 2008, a 22-year-old student at a vocational school in Kauhajoki, western Finland, shot 10 dead before turning the gun on himself.