Tampere stabbings suspect targeted strangers to ‘end own suffering’

By admin On Jul 4, 2025

Detective Superintendent Sakari Tuominen at the press conference about the stabbings near the Ratina shopping centre in Tampere, pictured at the central police station of the Central Finland Police Department in Tampere, Finland on July 4, 2025. Photo: Saara Peltola / Lehtikuva

A 23-year-old man has admitted to stabbing four people near the Ratina shopping centre in Tampere on Thursday afternoon. Police say the victims were chosen at random, and there is no indication of terrorist or racist motives behind the attack.

The victims, three women aged 34, 40 and 52, and a 35-year-old man, sustained serious injuries but survived. Police responded within seconds and arrested the suspect without using force. He remains in custody and faces four charges of attempted manslaughter.

According to Chief Inspector Sakari Tuominen, the suspect used a standard utility knife with a nine-centimetre blade. The attacks occurred in three different locations around the shopping centre and the adjacent bus station.

The first two stabbings took place near the rear entrance of the station. The suspect then moved to the corner of Vuolteenkatu and Ratinanaukio, where a third person was attacked. A fourth victim was stabbed on the northern side of Ratina Square.

Tuominen said the attacks happened in under a minute. “The incident was very short. All crimes took place within about 60 seconds,” he said.

The suspect told police that he did not know the victims and could not recall who he had stabbed. He claimed that “everyone was an enemy” and that the attack was an expression of his desire to end his own suffering. The suspect denied any ideological or political motive.

Investigators have not ruled out upgrading the charges to attempted murder, which would require evidence of premeditation. The suspect has a long criminal record, including assault and robbery convictions from 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024. He was most recently sentenced to prison in June for another violent offence. Police have not explained why he was at liberty at the time of the Tampere attack.

Thursday’s stabbing has caused concern across Finland. Police confirmed they have increased patrols in Tampere and Jyväskylä. The incident has also drawn attention abroad, with media outlets including The Washington Post, The Independent, and Xinhua covering the story.

Witnesses described scenes of panic. One man was seen fleeing the square with a bleeding hand while another chased him. Others reported pools of blood on the pavement, including outside the Tampinkoski restaurant and between bicycle racks near a children’s play area.

Police detained the suspect near John Scott’s pub shortly after 4:23pm. Eyewitnesses said he calmly raised his hands and lay on the ground when approached by officers. Police confirmed that public tips helped identify the suspect quickly.

Investigators held a press conference on Friday to outline the sequence of events. Police said they had no evidence the suspect intended to harm more than the four individuals already known.

Security has been reviewed at the Ratina shopping centre. The property’s owner, Sponda Oy, has offered crisis support to tenants and staff. Local health authorities are also providing trauma assistance to eyewitnesses and victims.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday at the Pirkanmaa District Court. The investigation is expected to continue for several months.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi