Three dead after sieges over weekend

On Saturday, a man shot his wife and himself in Laukaa in Central Finland

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Finns in various parts of the country spent their weekend in the shadow of violence.
      In three different localities, three people died in connection with a house siege.
      In Laukaa in Central Finland, a man shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself on Saturday evening. He died from his injuries in hospital on Sunday.
      The 64-year-old man called the emergency centre after having shot his wife in the couple’s detached house.
      Several patrols were sent to the scene, whereupon the police surrounded the house. During the subsequent 30-minute siege, the police did not manage to come into contact with the man.
      After entering the house, the police found the woman dead and the man seriously injured. The man died from his injuries in hospital the next day.
     
In Helsinki, there was also a state of siege on Sunday. The situation started on the night between Saturday and Sunday, when the police went to pick up a man to serve a prison sentence.
      The man, who was behaving in a threatening manner, was in the flat with his female friend.
      Several police patrols participated in the standoff, as the man threatened to harm both himself and his female friend. Eventually, he surrendered without resistance at around 7:00 am.
     
In Varkaus in Eastern Central Finland on Friday, a 44-year-old man shot himself after having been surrounded in his house by police. The man died from his injuries the following day.
      The situation started just after noon on Friday, when police had come to pick him up, as he was suspected of involvement in the stabbing of another man on Thursday night.
      However, the man aimed his gun at the police, managing to injure a police dog.
      Ultimately he shot himself in the head.
      The man was taken to Kuopio University Hospital, where he died on Saturday morning.
     
The weekend was busy for police even in other parts of the country. In Oulu, a man robbed a store, threatening a cashier with a hypodermic syringe on Saturday evening.
      At the same time, two men were assaulted in the Port of Turku. The victims were taken to the hospital for treatment.
      Early on Saturday evening, a brawl involving five men occurred at a restaurant in Lieksa. The police apprehended four of them under suspicion of aggravated assault.
      One of the men was taken to hospital. According to the police, he had been beaten at least with a telescopic baton.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Family killings claim more than 70 lives since 2000 (12.1.2012)

Helsingin Sanomat