Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen: Oulu stabbing is a shocking act of violence

Finnish Minister of the Interior Ms Päivi Räsänen is deeply shocked by the stabbing that took place in Oulu on Thursday morning. "It is now important that all authorities concentrate on efforts to help the victims and their families and friends," Ms Räsänen said.

"It is a relief that the perpetrator was apprehended quickly. However, the sense of security among students of the school and residents in the area has been badly shaken. Through action by the authorities and voluntary organisations, we must restore this sense of security as quickly as possible."

The Internal Security Programme of the Ministry of the Interior pays special attention to the prevention of violence, particularly in the school world. One of the objectives is to develop the monitoring of the security situation at educational institutions. The aim is for rescue departments to monitor that educational institutions hold security drills in their region and remind them if the interval between the drills is too long.

"The Police is preparing a threat assessment tool which allows it to quickly get a mental health specialist's assessment of the actual threat represented by a specific person and his or her potential for violence. Based on the assessment, the person could, if necessary, be quickly referred for further treatment within the health care services, for example. This procedure will begin through piloting at Helsinki and Oulu Police Departments," said Ms Räsänen.

For further information, please contact Mr Andrei Nahkala, Special Adviser, tel. +358 71 878 8212 or Mr Pekka Aho, Superintendent, tel. +358 71 878 8594