This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/8435857.stm
The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 20 | Version 21 |
|---|---|
| Finland shootings leave six dead | Finland shootings leave six dead |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Finnish police have confirmed they have found the body of a gunman responsible for killing five people in a shooting rampage in the southern city of Espoo. | Finnish police have confirmed they have found the body of a gunman responsible for killing five people in a shooting rampage in the southern city of Espoo. |
| Investigators said 43-year-old Ibrahim Shkupolli shot dead three men and a woman with a 9mm pistol at a grocery shop inside the Sello shopping centre. | Investigators said 43-year-old Ibrahim Shkupolli shot dead three men and a woman with a 9mm pistol at a grocery shop inside the Sello shopping centre. |
| The body of Shkupolli's ex-girlfriend, who also worked at the shop, was later found at a flat in the city. | The body of Shkupolli's ex-girlfriend, who also worked at the shop, was later found at a flat in the city. |
| The incident is Finland's third major shooting in the past two years. | The incident is Finland's third major shooting in the past two years. |
| Police were first notified about the shooting inside the Prisma grocery store at 1008 local time (0808 GMT) on Thursday. | Police were first notified about the shooting inside the Prisma grocery store at 1008 local time (0808 GMT) on Thursday. |
| Shkupolli eventually returned home and turned the gun on himself Profile: Ibrahim Shkupolli | Shkupolli eventually returned home and turned the gun on himself Profile: Ibrahim Shkupolli |
| A witness told Finland's state broadcaster, YLE, that the gunman was dressed in black and appeared to have opened fire at random, hitting one man in the head and a woman in the stomach. | A witness told Finland's state broadcaster, YLE, that the gunman was dressed in black and appeared to have opened fire at random, hitting one man in the head and a woman in the stomach. |
| The victims were Prisma employees aged 27, 40, 42 and 45. Two were shot on the shop's first floor, the other two on its second floor, police said. | The victims were Prisma employees aged 27, 40, 42 and 45. Two were shot on the shop's first floor, the other two on its second floor, police said. |
| Another witness said chaos had ensued after the first shots were heard. | Another witness said chaos had ensued after the first shots were heard. |
| "There were loads of people who were crying, and many salespeople who were completely panicked," the witness told Finnish radio. | "There were loads of people who were crying, and many salespeople who were completely panicked," the witness told Finnish radio. |
| The gunman was later seen walking towards another shop. He then disappeared, sparking a major manhunt. The shopping centre was evacuated and cordoned off by armed police, and trains were not allowed to stop at the nearby Leppavaara railway station. | The gunman was later seen walking towards another shop. He then disappeared, sparking a major manhunt. The shopping centre was evacuated and cordoned off by armed police, and trains were not allowed to stop at the nearby Leppavaara railway station. |
| 'Domestic' motive | 'Domestic' motive |
| At a later news conference, police announced a Prisma employee had also been found dead at her flat in the outskirts of the city. It later emerged that the victim was Shkupolli's ex-girlfriend. | At a later news conference, police announced a Prisma employee had also been found dead at her flat in the outskirts of the city. It later emerged that the victim was Shkupolli's ex-girlfriend. |
| Investigators said they believed her killing had a "domestic" motive, and that there had been a restraining order in place. | Investigators said they believed her killing had a "domestic" motive, and that there had been a restraining order in place. |
| "The four victims in the shopping centre were, in a way, outsiders. It looks like the incident is linked to the fifth victim," Chief Inspector Jukka Kaski told a news conference. | "The four victims in the shopping centre were, in a way, outsiders. It looks like the incident is linked to the fifth victim," Chief Inspector Jukka Kaski told a news conference. |
| "She seems to have been the gunman's main target and the whole shooting is tied up with the relationship between her and the gunman," he added. | "She seems to have been the gunman's main target and the whole shooting is tied up with the relationship between her and the gunman," he added. |
| Shkupolli then returned to his own home and turned the gun on himself, police said. | Shkupolli then returned to his own home and turned the gun on himself, police said. |
| Shkupolli was an ethnic Albanian from Kosovo who moved to Finland in 1990, shortly after which he began a relationship with the woman found dead on Thursday, according to Finnish media reports. | Shkupolli was an ethnic Albanian from Kosovo who moved to Finland in 1990, shortly after which he began a relationship with the woman found dead on Thursday, according to Finnish media reports. |
| Their relationship broke down for the final time last year, when she told police he had threatened to kill her. A restraining order against him was later granted by a local court. | Their relationship broke down for the final time last year, when she told police he had threatened to kill her. A restraining order against him was later granted by a local court. |
| Shkupolli, who worked for a warehousing company organising deliveries to the Prisma shop, was reportedly also married to a woman of Albanian descent, with whom he had a family. | Shkupolli, who worked for a warehousing company organising deliveries to the Prisma shop, was reportedly also married to a woman of Albanian descent, with whom he had a family. |
| He had a previous conviction for causing bodily harm and had twice been fined for illegal possession of a handgun, in 2003 and 2007, according to YLE. | He had a previous conviction for causing bodily harm and had twice been fined for illegal possession of a handgun, in 2003 and 2007, according to YLE. |
| Gun laws tightened | Gun laws tightened |
| There is a long tradition of hunting in Finland, which has vast areas of forest and wilderness, but until recently gun crime has been rare. | There is a long tradition of hunting in Finland, which has vast areas of forest and wilderness, but until recently gun crime has been rare. |
| But two deadly shootings in recent years focused attention on gun laws in a country where young people were permitted to own and use a firearm at 15 years of age if they had parental consent. | But two deadly shootings in recent years focused attention on gun laws in a country where young people were permitted to own and use a firearm at 15 years of age if they had parental consent. |
| My parents were just going up the escalator from the first floor when police started shouting at them to get out of the building AnttiBBC reader, Espoo | My parents were just going up the escalator from the first floor when police started shouting at them to get out of the building AnttiBBC reader, Espoo |
| In November 2007, an 18-year-old went on a gun rampage at his school in Tuusula, killing seven pupils and a teacher, before turning the gun on himself. He had posted a video warning of the attack on the internet. | In November 2007, an 18-year-old went on a gun rampage at his school in Tuusula, killing seven pupils and a teacher, before turning the gun on himself. He had posted a video warning of the attack on the internet. |
| Then, in September 2008, a 22-year-old trainee chef killed 10 people at a college before killing himself. | Then, in September 2008, a 22-year-old trainee chef killed 10 people at a college before killing himself. |
| He, too, had put a video on the internet showing himself shooting a gun. After doing that he was interviewed by police, but they decided it was not sufficient reason to revoke his gun licence. | He, too, had put a video on the internet showing himself shooting a gun. After doing that he was interviewed by police, but they decided it was not sufficient reason to revoke his gun licence. |
| After the second attack, stricter rules on permits for pistols and revolvers were introduced. | After the second attack, stricter rules on permits for pistols and revolvers were introduced. |
| Handgun permits would no longer be granted to first-time applicants, the interior ministry said. | Handgun permits would no longer be granted to first-time applicants, the interior ministry said. |
| Instead, they must train for at least a year at a gun club before being allowed to apply for a permit. | Instead, they must train for at least a year at a gun club before being allowed to apply for a permit. |
| All applicants must also provide a note from a doctor about their mental health and sit an interview with police. | All applicants must also provide a note from a doctor about their mental health and sit an interview with police. |