Horror as knifeman attacks 2 kids at shopping mall leaving one seriously injured

A man has been arrested on suspicion of double attempted murder after a knife attack has left a 12-year-old boy seriously injured.

The stabbing rampage took place at a shopping centre in the northern Finnish city of Oulu on Thursday with authorities saying that the man, aged in his 30s, has a background where he has been involved in far-right political activities. “The criminal investigation is still at an early stage and the police do not know the exact motive for the act. They know, however, that the suspect has a background in extreme right activities,” the National Bureau of Investigation said.

Television channel Yle showed images of what appeared to be blood on the floor of the shopping centre and the Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that “far-right violence is a real threat” in the country. “I condemn Oulu’s brutal attack on children. Far-right violence is a real threat in Finland. There is no room for extremism of any kind in this country. The government acts determinedly against extremism and violence,” he said on social media.

Finance Minister Riikka Purra wrote: “In the middle of the day, in the middle of the shopping center, the stabbing of a young person. I hope the victim survives.” She added in a separate post on X: “Extremist movements, drugs, robberies, gangs – the problems are growing. The deterioration of security must be taken seriously, the punishments must be increased and the indifference in the face of all kinds of violence must be stopped.”

A 12-year-old child was in a stable condition after being seriously wounded in the attack, police said. The youngster is believed to have been stabbed from behind several times. And after that the alleged attacker then tried to knife another child who was with the original victim before he was stopped by a guard at the shopping centre.

A statement from Finnish police read: “The National Bureau of Investigation will request that a man born in 1990 suspected of two attempted murders be placed on remand. The request will be considered by the Oulu District Court on Monday 17 June.

“The National Bureau of Investigation investigates the homicide committed at the Valkea shopping centre in Oulu on Thursday 13 June as two attempted murders. A man born in 1990 is suspected of having stabbed the 12-year-old victim from behind several times. After that he tried to go after a minor who was in the company of the other victim of stabbing.

“A guard in the shopping centre managed to stop the suspect before he caused any more harm. The guard’s action was extremely exemplary, says Head of Investigation, Detective Superintendent Ari Soronen of the National Bureau of Investigation.”

The attacker is believed to be a former member of a banned neo-Nazi group called the Nordic Resistance Movement, according to local reports. It is also alleged he previously sprayed a politician in the face during a pride event in Oulu in 2012.