YOUTH VIOLENCE

Police investigate two stabbings in Helsinki on Sunday

Image: Helsinki Police.
Police detained the suspect in two attempted murders in Ruoholahti, but they are still searching for the perpetrator of another stab attack in Kaivopuisto.

May 2 is traditionally a hangover day in Finland after the great celebration of Vappu, one of the most popular holidays in the entire country.

But this year, it was also a violent day. At least in Helsinki, where 2 young people were stabbed in two different incidents recorded in the Ruoholahti and Kaivopuisto areas.

According to police information, on Sunday at about 16:45 there were two attempted murders in Ruoholahti. Again, the people involved in the violent incident are very young, the suspect is an 18-year-old man and the victims are two minors. Only one of those attacked was injured.

According to the information released so far, the origin of the incident was a dispute near the Crussell Bridge (Crusellinsilta) between the alleged perpetrator and the victim of the stabbing.

The suspect pulled out a knife and started to chase the victim, who had fallen to the ground. The suspect stabbed him with the knife and then fled the scene.

Later, police found out that the same suspect may have also tried to stab another minor at the scene. However, in this case the boy was not injured, according to detective inspector Kirsi Kanth, who is in charge of the investigation.

The suspect was located by police later at night and remains in police custody. He has not yet been questioned. The case is being investigated as two murder attempts.

Murder attempt in Kaivopuisto

But Ruoholahti's was not the first violent incident on Sunday.

A few hours earlier, at dawn, around 00:30, another 19-year-old young man was attacked with a knife in Kaivopuisto. The victim suffered injuries in the upper part of his body.

In this case, a person notified a police patrol that was in the area of the incident. The emergency center also received several calls and numerous police patrols went to the scene, where they found a young man lying on the ground.

The victim was taken to hospital.

According to the police, at that time there were near the scene "dozens" of young people in a state of intoxication. The suspect in the attack has not yet been found.

The police have asked the public for help to clarify what happened in both incidents and to find the escaped suspect.