Stabbing Near Finland Mall Injures 4; Police Rule Out 'Terrorist Or Racist Motive'
In Tampere, Finland, a stabbing near a shopping mall injured four people. Police arrested a Finnish man in his twenties, ruling out terrorism or racism as motives.
Four people were injured in a stabbing incident near a shopping mall in the Finnish city of Tampere on Thursday, with police confirming that one person had been arrested. Authorities have ruled out any terrorist or racist motivation behind the attack.
According to Reuters, the police stated, “According to (our) current information, there is no reason to suspect that the act had a terrorist or racist motive.” The situation has been declared under control, with no ongoing threat to public safety.
Public broadcaster YLE reported that traffic came to a standstill in Tampere’s city centre—approximately 180 kilometres north of Helsinki—as police responded to the unfolding situation. Daily newspaper Ilta-Sanomat noted that bystanders were seen providing first aid to two individuals lying on the ground before police arrived. The suspect arrested was described by the outlet as a Finnish man in his twenties.
Eyewitnesses Recall Screams and Chaos
The Independent quoted witnesses who described scenes of panic during the attack near the Ratina shopping centre, the third largest city’s bustling commercial hub. One eyewitness told Ilta-Sanomat, “I heard the woman scream that she had been stabbed. So everyone started shouting about stabbing. I didn’t really have time to react because I was in such shock.”
Another eyewitness recounted seeing a man running before he complied with police orders and lay down on the ground without resistance, Ilta-Sanomat reported.
According to Aamulehti, police sealed all entrances to the Ratina shopping centre, preventing people from entering or leaving the building while witnesses were escorted to the second floor for questioning. Video footage broadcast by Yle showed ambulances and a significant police presence outside the cordoned-off centre, with images revealing blood stains on the pavement.
Social and crisis emergency services also arrived at the scene to assist both victims and bystanders, Yle reported. Ratina shopping centre manager Mervi Ahola told Iltalehti, “It’s an unfortunate incident.”
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