Doug Huffman
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http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071107/D8SOUDG80.html
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[font="Verdana,Sans-serif"] TUUSULA, Finland (AP) - An 18-year-old gunman killed eight people at a high school in southern Finland on Wednesday, then shot himself but survived, police said.
Police said the gunman was taken to hospital with serious wounds and they had the situation "under control" after they surrounded Jokela High School in Tuusula, some 30 miles north of the capital, Helsinki.
It was the first known school shooting in Finland, where gun ownership is fairly common by European standards, but shootings are rare.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
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TUUSULA, Finland - An 18-year-old man opened fire at a high school in southern Finland on Wednesday, leaving at least seven people dead and 11 wounded, officials said.
Officials did not say if the shooter was among the dead or wounded, but police said the situation was "under control" after they surrounded the high school in Tuusula, some 30 miles north of the capital, Helsinki.
"It's at least seven dead," medical response leader Eero Hirvensalo told The Associated Press. One person was "severely injured" while 10 people had minor injuries, he said.
It was the first known school shooting in Finland, where gun ownership is fairly common by European standards, but shootings are rare.
A local official said earlier that students remained inside the school, but police did not say whether the gunman was holding hostages. Police also did not confirm the number of victims.
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Kim Kiuru, a teacher at the school, said the principal announced over the public address system just before noon that all students should remain in their classrooms.
"I stayed in the corridor to listen to more instructions having locked my classroom door," Kiuru told the YLE radio station. "After that I saw the gunman running with what appeared to be a small-caliber handgun in his hand through the doors toward me after which I escaped to the corridor downstairs and ran in the opposite direction."
Kiuru said he saw a woman's body as he fled the building.
"Then my pupils shouted at me out of the windows to ask what they should do and I told them to jump out of the windows ... and all my pupils were saved," Kiuru said.
More than 400 students, ages of 12 to 18, were enrolled at Jokela, said Heidi Hagman, assistant to the Tuusula municipality director.
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen described the situation as "extremely tragic" and said the government would hold an emergency meeting.
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http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071107/D8SOUDG80.html
[font="Verdana,Sans-serif"][font="Verdana,Sans-serif"]
[font="Verdana,Sans-serif"] TUUSULA, Finland (AP) - An 18-year-old gunman killed eight people at a high school in southern Finland on Wednesday, then shot himself but survived, police said.
Police said the gunman was taken to hospital with serious wounds and they had the situation "under control" after they surrounded Jokela High School in Tuusula, some 30 miles north of the capital, Helsinki.
It was the first known school shooting in Finland, where gun ownership is fairly common by European standards, but shootings are rare.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
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TUUSULA, Finland - An 18-year-old man opened fire at a high school in southern Finland on Wednesday, leaving at least seven people dead and 11 wounded, officials said.
Officials did not say if the shooter was among the dead or wounded, but police said the situation was "under control" after they surrounded the high school in Tuusula, some 30 miles north of the capital, Helsinki.
"It's at least seven dead," medical response leader Eero Hirvensalo told The Associated Press. One person was "severely injured" while 10 people had minor injuries, he said.
It was the first known school shooting in Finland, where gun ownership is fairly common by European standards, but shootings are rare.
A local official said earlier that students remained inside the school, but police did not say whether the gunman was holding hostages. Police also did not confirm the number of victims.
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Kim Kiuru, a teacher at the school, said the principal announced over the public address system just before noon that all students should remain in their classrooms.
"I stayed in the corridor to listen to more instructions having locked my classroom door," Kiuru told the YLE radio station. "After that I saw the gunman running with what appeared to be a small-caliber handgun in his hand through the doors toward me after which I escaped to the corridor downstairs and ran in the opposite direction."
Kiuru said he saw a woman's body as he fled the building.
"Then my pupils shouted at me out of the windows to ask what they should do and I told them to jump out of the windows ... and all my pupils were saved," Kiuru said.
More than 400 students, ages of 12 to 18, were enrolled at Jokela, said Heidi Hagman, assistant to the Tuusula municipality director.
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen described the situation as "extremely tragic" and said the government would hold an emergency meeting.
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