Two Finnish police officers were injured by firearm and needed hospital care after being shot in an ambush on Saturday night for Sunday in Porvoo (South Finland).
According to the information published by the Central Criminal Police (Keskusrikospoliisi), the shooting incident took place after midnight in the small industrial area of Koneistajantie. A police patrol had moved to the site after receiving, around 00:22, one of the usual alerts through the emergency center.
Just eight minutes later, when the police officers arrived at the place at 00:30, "they were immediately shot", the authorities reported.
As a result, one of the police officers resulted seriously wounded, but according to the information provided his life is not in danger. He is hospitalized and his condition is stable. The other agent has already left the hospital.
Poliisi selvittää edelleen teosta epäiltyjen henkilöiden olinpaikkaa. Poliisin arvion mukaan he ovat vaarallisia ja aseistautuneita, mutta tällä hetkellä poliisin tiedossa ei ole mitään konkreettista uhkaa. Kaikissa akuuteissa tai epäilyttävissä tilanteissa tulee soittaa 112.
— Keskusrikospoliisi (@krp_poliisi) August 25, 2019
Two murder attempts
The case is being investigated as two suspected murder attempts by the Central Criminal Police.
Director of Investigation and Criminal Commisioner Kimmo Huhtaaho explained that the investigators have been able to hear the injured police and know the sequence of the events. Now, they are "actively looking for several suspects". However, their whereabouts are not known to the police.
After knowing about the incident, the Eastern Uusimaa Police Department isolated the area where the shooting took place and assured that the injured police officers were transported to a hospital in Helsinki.
Several road controls were established in the area of Porvoo in an attempt to find the perpetrators. The Director General immediately set up an emergency organization and launched an intensified operation, to which more patrols from Eastern Uusimaa, Helsinki and Häme, joined. Later, the case was transferred to the Central Criminal Police.
#KRP on jatkanut esitutkintaa liittyen Porvoossa lauantain ja sunnuntain välisenä yönä tapahtuneeseen ammuskeluun, jossa kahta Itä-Uudenmaan poliisilaitoksen poliisia ammuttiin ja he saivat sairaalahoitoa vaativia vammoja. Tiedote aiheesta: https://t.co/kv6Ce8StZn.
— Keskusrikospoliisi (@krp_poliisi) August 25, 2019
"Violence against the police has doubled in this millennium. Last year, police mission statements mentioned the words pistol, shotgun, rifle or assault rifle almost seven thousand times. Before last night, the police had been shot twice this year and threatened with a gun nine times", explained Chief of Police Seppo Kolehmainen.
Citizen collaboration
The investigators also asked for the collaboration of anyone who could be in the area at the time of the incident.
"We request all observations at night in the vicinity of Koneistajantie. The area is usually quiet at night, with very little traffic. Every sight of people walking or traveling by car at that time is interesting" for the investigation, said Huhta Aho.
Tips for observations in the event area or other information can be sent to [email protected]
The Central Criminal Police thanked the citizens for the tips they have already given.
