Helsinki police treat Saturday's gang-related shootout as attempted murder

Motive for shooting in public place still unclear

print this

According to the Helsinki police, the aim of Saturday evening's shootout in the Vaasanaukio square was not just to intimidate or cause minor injuries, but to kill the victims. The police are holding two members of the Bandidos MC motorcycle gang on suspicion of attempted murder.
      While investigation into the incident is still under way, chief inspector Kari Tolvanen has refused to reveal on what evidence the police base their murder intention suspicions.
     
The police filed a warrant of arrest for the men held in custody with the District Court on Monday. One of the two men, both of whom are from the city of Espoo and in their mid-30s, is the leader of the Bandidos gang.
      The two members of the Lahti-based Rogues Gallery gang who were wounded in the shootout are not suspected of any crime. One of them is also a leader of his group.
      The police have yet to establish the motive for the attempted murders.
     
"Signs of possible retaliation related to the ongoing turf war between biker gangs have not emerged, but we keep all options open", Tolvanen says.
      Several members of both the Rogues Gallery and the Bandidos gangs are in various prisons in Finland, but according to the Criminal Sanctions Agency there is no need for any large-scale arrangements.
      To minimise the risk of showdowns, members of opposing gangs have deliberately been placed in different prisons.
     
The shooting took place on Saturday evening just after nine o'clock in the Vaasanaukio square next to the Sörnäinen metro station in Helsinki's Kallio district. Several members of different bike gangs were present to celebrate the Friday wedding of one of the members of the Natural Born Killers gang.
      The high jinks soon turned into a chase and shots were fired. One of the gang members took a bullet in his leg, while another one was wounded in his trunk. On Monday, both victims were still in hospital, but their injuries were not considered life-threatening.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Two wounded in gang-related shootout in Helsinki (1.8.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat