11 Killed After School Shooting in Finland, Kauhajoki

A student has killed himself and 10 other people at Kauhajoki School of Hospitality. Shooting started around 11:00 local time and police was alarmed at scene a little before 11:00. Shooter also set up fire at school and it is likely, that some of the victims died because the fire. According to minister of interior, Anne Holmlund, 11 people have died, including the shooter Matti Saari (22). Shooter shot himself in the head and he died later at the hospital. When the shooting started, there were about 200 students inside the school.

Shooter had send shooting videos at Youtube with the username Wumpscut86, which is similar to Jokela High School shooter, Pekka-Eric Auvinen, in 2007. Police had spotted these videos last Friday and interrogated the shooter at Monday. But police did not find a reason to cancel his gun license, because he did not threat anyone. Here is a some writing from the user account, which is now suspended. It may be, that the shooter changed the content after the interrogation.

Whole life is war and whole life is pain
And you will fight alone in your personal war

War

This is war!
City: Kauhajoki
Country: Finland

News clips from the beginning of the incident
Updated 12:21: Shooter has set up several fires at school.

Updated 12:32

Jukka Forsberg, a maintenance worker at the school, told YLE that several people have sustained injuries. According to Forsber, a man with a ski mask went into the building with a large bag. Soon after, the worker heard shots fired.

Reference, YLE News: Shots Fired at College, Police Fear "Many Dead"

Updated 12:38: According to Nelonen uutiset, school is on fire, but extinguishing is not possible. Shooter has used automatic weapon - situation is a disaster.

Updated 12:44: According to Aamulehti, shooter has been captured by the police. The number of victims is not clear.

Updated 12:48: According to Nelosen uutiset, Disaster alarm at Seinäjoki central hospital. Only one patient has been rescued from the building this far, police has been under fire also.

Updated 13:04: Police information meeting for media is going to start. There is incongruity in the information about the shooter. Now there is also evaluations, that the shooter has shot himself.

Updated 13:11: According to police there are several victims, death and injured. Shooter has been injured also.

Updated 13:16: Worst is over at Kauhajoki. There is no more shooting and the fire fighting is going on.

Updated 13:18: According to police, the number of victims is still unclear. Shooter is in hospital, but his condition is unclear. Fire is still going on.

Updated 13:30: Victims are transported to hospitals at Seinäjoki, Tampere and Vaasa.

Updated 13:32: According to Iltalehti, there may be still a bomb at the school.

Updated 13:43: Wumpscut86 Youtube account has been suspended.

Updated 16:01: The number of victims is nine. Some of them died because carbon monoxide, not the shooting. Police interrogated the suspect on Monday, because the Youtube videos, but there were no reason to cancel the gun license at that point.

Updated 17:01: Police has confirmed shooters name: Matti Juhani Saari (22). At this picture, Matti Juhani Saari is on left, and Jokela High School Shooter, Pekka-Eric Auvinen is on right. Here is another picture about the shooter.

Updated 17:47: According to Pirkanmaa Hospital District, shooter has died. Shooter had a bullet wound at temple and it is likely, that he shot himself, just like shooter at Jokela. 

Updated 19:05: Minister of the Interior, Anne Holmlund has confirmed, that victim number is now 11, including the shooter, Matti Saari.

Updated 19:48: According to Helsingin Sanomat, the victims of the shooting are not identified yet, nor there is information available about the sex and ages. The identification will be hard, because some of the victims are badly burned. It may be, that also teachers have died as students.  

Updated 20:45: 24.9.2008 will be a flag at half-mast day in Finland.