Three students have been shot and wounded in a shooting at a school in Finland, police say.
All those involved were aged 12, police said – including the suspected attacker, who has been detained and taken into custody.
Officers were called to the incident at Viertola school in Vantaa just after 7am UK time.
The victims were taken to hospital, a police spokesperson told Reuters news agency.
The shooting took place at Viertola school in Vantaa, a
suburb of the Finnish capital Helsinki
The school has two sites, Liljatie and Jokiranta. The shooting took place at the Jokiranta campus.
Finnish broadcaster MTV Uutiset reported emergency services – including armed police officers – were at the scene.
Some of the children reportedly hid during the attack, while others who had been contacted by their parents on mobile phones said they saw what happened.
“The immediate danger is over,” said the school’s principal Sari Laasila.
The pupils injured in the attack were taken to hospital. Pic: Markku Ulander/Lehtikuva via Reuters
“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,” interior minister Mari Rantanen posted on the social media platform X.
A witness told MTV Uutiset the suspect was arrested just before 10am in an area of Helsinki called Siltakylantie – a 50-minute walk from the school.
They said police stopped a young person who dropped an object that looked like a weapon on the ground and knelt down.
Parents gather outside the school. Pic: Markku Ulander/Lehtikuva via Reuters
The school, situated in the outskirts of the Finnish capital Helsinki, has around 800 students from first to ninth grade – aged seven to 16.
Local residents have been asked to stay away from the school which has been cordoned off by police.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.