Finland police 'learned of school shooter last Friday'
Wednesday, 24 Sep 2008 20:53
Matti Juhani Saari was questioned by police over his YouTube videos one day before Tuesday's massacre
Police in Finland received their first tip-off over a student who killed ten people at his vocational college four days before his shooting rampage, it was claimed on Wednesday.
Finnish news agency STT reported that police were first made aware of YouTube videos showing gunman Matti Juhani Saari at a practice range last Friday.
Police have already begun looking for the person who filmed the videos, the most recent of which was posted five days ago.
In one video of Saari's account – since taken down – he is shown shooting a handgun inches below the camera and saying "you die next".
Of the ten people killed at the Kauhajoki college, nine were students and one was a teacher. Other than confirming that eight of the victims were female, police have provided no further details.
They did reveal however that Saari had fired several shots at armed police as they isolated him in a room in the college, and that his gunfire was not returned.
Saari died in hospital yesterday after turning the gun on himself when his rampage at his vocational college in western Finland ended on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old's actions have prompted Finland's prime minister to call for a review of the country's gun laws.
Matti Vanhanen told Finnish television that he thought hand guns should be banned outside of shooting ranges.
"We have to tighten the law significantly," Mr Vanhanen said.
"In terms of handguns that can easily be carried about, we have to think about whether they should be available for private people. In my opinion, they belong on shooting ranges."
Finland's interior ministry has already said it will launch an inquiry into how Saari was allowed to retain his gun despite police being aware of his YouTube videos.
Authorities claimed at the time that the footage "did not threaten anyone" directly.
Yesterday's shooting echoes another incident in November 2007 when seven students and the headmistress of Jokela high school were killed when a gunman opened fire.
Finland has a tradition of hunting and both men involved the school shootings had valid gun licences.
Mr Vanhanen added that a review of the license system was required.
"The question is what kind of guns should be available with a licence. After these incidents, we have to discuss whether handguns should be legal."
Finnish police suggested on Wednesday that Saari had been planning the shooting for six years.
Chief Inspector Jari Neulaniemi, leading the investigation into the shooting, said the police had found messages in his flat saying he hated the human race and had been planning the mass murder since 2002.