Finland Officer Killed and Partner Injured; Suspect Commits Suicide

This is the first time in nearly a decade that an officer in Finland has been killed. Two officers have Finland had been shot while responding to a call where a 67-year-old man opened fire on his neighbor. The injured officer is in stable condition.

Finland has third highest guns per capita, behind the USA and Switzerland, with 35% of homes having firearms. Despite the number of guns in Finland, the have extraordinarily low rates of gun violence. The last officer killed in Finland had died in a hit and run collision in 2007.

yle reports:

A Western Uusimaa police officer has been killed in the line of duty in Vihti, Southern Finland.

Police received a report of gunfire on Friday evening around 9 pm, when the 67-year-old shooter opened fire on his neighbour and family member who was sitting inside a tractor. The gun used is described as an automatic weapon.

Several patrols arrived on scene and the property on Nurmijärventie was closed off and police attempted to contact the gunman for two and a half hours.

At around 11 pm shots were fired at the police from inside the property. Two policemen approaching the house sustained gunshot wounds, of which one of the officers died. The other police officer was severely injured and taken to hospital for emergency care. The police also fired their sidearms early in the siege.

Police also found the shooter dead on the property following a tactical search. The man is believed to have committed suicide.

Our thoughts are with the family of the officer killed and we wish the injured officer a speedy recovery.