The police said the victims of the shooting incident in the city of Vantaa were children, one of whom was later confirmed to have died. The suspect, also a minor, was later arrested. Three 12-year-olds were injured in a school shooting incident in Finland early on Tuesday, Finnish police said, adding that the suspect, also a minor, was later arrested. "All those involved in the shooting incident are minors," the police said. They were all 12 years old, the police later specified. What do we know about the shooting incident? The shooting occurred at the Viertola school in the city of Vantaa, north of the capital Helsinki. The school has some 800 students. "The immediate danger is over," the Viertola school's principal Sari Laasila told the Reuters news agency. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the incident was "deeply shocking," adding that he was closely following the situation and awaiting updates. "The day started in a horrifying way. There has been a shooting incident at the Viertola school in Vantaa. I can only imagine the pain and worry that many families are experiencing at the moment. The suspected perpetrator has been caught," Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said on X, formerly Twitter. Finland's gun policies in focus Finland's population of around 5.5 million includes some 430,000 gun license holders, with over 1.5 licensed firearms in the country of hunters and gun enthusiasts, ministry figures showed. The country tightened its gun legislation in 2010, following two back-to-back school shootings in 2007 and 2008 which, combined, left nearly 20 killed, including students. The amended legislation introduced an aptitude test for all firearms license applicants and increased the age limit for applicants from 18 to 20.

Events have been held across the Czech Republic to honor victims of the worst mass shooting in the country's history. The killings have sent shock waves through what is considered the 12th-safest country in the world. The Czech Republic observed a minute of silence at noon on Saturday as the country holds a national day of mourning after a mass shooting at a Prague university killed 15 people including the shooter. The shooting was carried out by a 24-year-old student who is now thought to have killed his father on the same day and a man and a baby last week. What events have taken place? National flags on public buildings flew at half-staff, while bells rang out at noon to mark the start of the minute of silence, which retailers said they would also observe. Czech President Petr Pavel and speakers of both houses of Parliament attended a special Mass for the victims held at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, with similar religious services taking place in other cities and towns. Christmas markets in several locations were closed or reduced their programs, with other pre-Christmas events canceled. Mourners laid flowers and lit candles in front of the university buildings. What happened Thursday? The shooter opened fire at the Charles University Faculty of Arts, where he had been studying, killing 13 people immediately and wounding 25 others. The gunman then killed himself, and one of the wounded people later died in hospital. Police and prosecutors said they had evidence that the shooter also killed his father earlier in the day and a man and a baby near the Czech capital last week. The university confirmed that two staff members were among the 14 people killed. No link to any extremist ideology or groups is suspected by investigators, who say the motive for the shooting was still unclear. The Czech Republic has rarely experienced mass shootings. But in 2015 a man shot seven men and a woman dead in a restaurant before killing himself in the southeast, and in 2019 another gunman killed seven people and then himself in an eastern hospital.  

A shooting at a Shiite shrine in southern Iran killed at least four people, state media said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The Shah Cheragh mausoleum is the tomb of Ahmad, who was the brother of the eight Shiite imam, Imam Reza. It is considered one of Iran's holiest sites. The shrine is located in Shiraz, which is the capital of the southern Fars province. What did authorities say about the attack? "Four people have been killed so far following a terrorist attack," official news agency IRNA said. Conflicting reports were given regarding the number of gunmen involved in the attack. IRNA and the Tasnim news agency reported that two attackers carried out the shooting. The Fars commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Yadollah Bouali spoke of only one gunman in televised comments. "A terrorist entered the gate of the shrine and opened fire with a battle rifle," Bouali said. "Several pilgrims who were nearby were injured." Fars Governor Mohamed Hadi Imanieh told state TV that the attack occurred around 7:00 p.m. local time (1530 UTC). Attack follows similar shooting last year The Shah Cheragh shrine was also attacked in October 2022, in a shooting which authorities said killed at least 15 people. The so-called "Islamic State" (IS) terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. IRNA reported that the gunman was a citizen of Tajkistan who died after sustaining injuries during his arrest. A month later, authorities said 26 "takifiri terrorists" from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan had been arrested in connection with the attack. "Takfiri" is a term used to refer to Sunni Muslim extremists, including those in IS, who believe Shiites are apostates. Iran is a Shiite-majority country, with substantial Sunni minorities concentrated in the northwest and southeast. On July 8, two other men of unspecified nationality were hanged in connection with the shooting, and three other defendants were sentence to prison for five, 15 and 25 years.

At least three people, including the gunman, died after a 24-year-old opened fire at a construction site in Auckland on Thursday, New Zealand police said. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said there was no national security threat and the Women's World Cup, due to get underway later on Thursday, would still go ahead as planned. "There was no identified political or ideological motivation for the shooting and therefore no national security risk," Hipkins said. "Aucklanders and those watching around the world can be assured that the police have neutralized the threat and that they are not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident."  What do we know about the New Zealand shooting? At least two people were killed after a man opened fire at a construction site in New Zealand's largest city at around 7:20 a.m. local time (1920 GMT Wednesday). The site is near the fan base of the football Women's World Cup. The gunman was known to police and said to have had a history of family violence and mental health issues. Police said he had been subject to a home detention order but had an exemption to work at the construction site. He did not have a license to own a firearm. Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said there was "nothing to suggest he presented a higher-level risk." "The offender fired at police, injuring an officer. Shots were exchanged and the offender was later found deceased," Coster added. "Tragically, police located two members of the public deceased on the lower levels of the building site." The shooting in one of the busy streets in the city center was "contained and is an isolated incident," police said in a statement. "We can also advise that this is not a national security risk." Earlier, police said a "significant incident" had occurred but said the situation had been contained to a single building that was under construction on lower Queen Street, in the city center.  Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown described the situation as "dreadful" and warned people to stay away as "police are under immense pressure." Shooting as Women's World Cup opens The incident occurred as New Zealand prepares to host the FIFA Women's World Cup, jointly with Australia, which gets underway later on Thursday. The location of the shooting was in a square directly by the Philippines team hotel and just 300 meters (984 feet) from where Norway's team, who are due to play New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament at Eden Park on Thursday, are staying. Norwegian captain Maren Mjelde told DW: "Everyone woke up quite quickly when the helicopter hovered outside the hotel window and a large number of emergency vehicles arrived."  "At first we didn't know what was going on, but eventually there were updates on TV and the local media. We felt safe the whole time. FIFA has a good security system at the hotel, and we have our own security officer in the squad." A fan festival that had been planned close to the scene of the shooting on Thursday was canceled out of respect for the victims.  FIFA President Gianni Infantino, along with Secretary-General Fatma Samoura, met with New Zealand Sports Minister Grant Robertson after the shooting to confer on security precautions for the Women's World Cup event.  "We appreciate the collaboration with New Zealand authorities from the earliest moment of this tragic incident," Infantino said. "We have been involved in ongoing communication from the outset, and we have also received the necessary reassurances."    A moment of silence was later held for the victims of the shooting shortly before the kickoff of the Women's World Cup opening match. 

The shooting prompted an exchange of fire between the perpetrator and Lebanese security, with the former wounded. The motive behind the attack remains unclear. A man started shooting at worshippers as they made their way out of a mosque in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on Friday, killing one and wounding at least three others. The attack was followed by a gun exchange between the perpetrator and Lebanese troops, who injured him as a result. The man was later taken into custody. The shooting took place in the eastern town of Bar Elias,which hosts many Syrian refugees. What do we know about the shooting? A video shared on social media purportedly from the time of the shooting showed worshippers taking shelter on the floor of a mosque, with the sound of gunshots in the background. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Local media cited residents in the area as saying the shooter had previously "exhibited strange behavior." A security official told the Associated Press news agency that the man killed and the five wounded were all Syrian citizens. The victim was identified by local media as a school teacher. Lebanon is home to over one million Syrian refugees who fled the civil war in their country, ongoing for 12 years. Anti-Syrian sentiment is rife among Lebanon's right-wing politicians, and has been on the rise since the country's economic crisis peaked in 2019.

Police said that two people had been killed in the attack, and three of those injured were still in critical condition. No arrests were made immediately after the incident. Police were deployed to the scene of a mass shooting in Baltimore, in the northeastern US state of Maryland, on Sunday. Officials said that at least two people were killed in the attack and dozens more were wounded. Three of those injured were in critical condition, according to police. What else do we know about the shooting in Baltimore? Police said that at least 28 people were wounded and 9 people were taken to hospitals by ambulance and that more injured made their own way to hospital. All of the victims were adults. One 18-year-old woman was found dead at the scene, and another 20-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to a police statement. Witnesses told the WBFF-TV broadcasters that hundreds of people had gathered in South Baltimore for the "Brooklyn Day" event. Police said that there had been a "block party" in the area on Sunday morning. The shooting took place just after 12:30 a.m. local time (Saturday 1630 UTC). Suspect not yet identified No arrests were made immediately after the incident. Worley said that authorities were working to identify a suspect and determine the motive for the attack. "This is an extensive crime scene, our detectives are going to be here quite a while," he said. Mayor Brandon Scott urged people to come forward to assist investigators to locate those responsible for the attack. "This is an absolute tragedy that did not have to happen," Scott said. "It again highlights the impacts and the need to deal with the over-proliferation of illegal guns on our streets and the ability for those who should not have them to get their hands on them." "We will not stop until we find those cowards who decided to just shoot dozens of people, causing two people to lose their lives," he said. According to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), the incident on Sunday was the US' 337th shooting involving four or more casualties this year.

Unrest has erupted across France after a teenager was shot during a traffic stop. The incident, described by French President Macron as "inexcusable," is raising questions about police violence in the country. The fatal shooting of a teenager by police near Paris has sparked outrage in France and further afield. Witness videos show the 17-year-old Nahel being shot by a police officer at close range during a traffic stop. French President Emmanuel Macron has described the incident as "inexcusable" and a police officer has been preliminarily charged with voluntary homocide. The streets of Nahel's hometown on the outskirts of Paris were full of mourners on Thursday, many of them dressed in white. As people descended on Nanterre to pay their respects to the teenager, sirens rang through the air and the mood was tense, with a heavy police presence. "We live in a country where we aren't safe. When we go outside we could die at any moment," one protester told DW.  "We live in France which is supposed to mean 'liberty, equality, fraternity,' but that doesn't exist anymore. Now the police make the rules and do what they want. If they decide to kill someone, they just do it," he said. "I'm so sorry for his family," another local resident said. "He was so young — just seventeen — with his whole life ahead of him." The march followed two nights of violent unrest, during which some 150 people were arrested after schools, town halls and police stations were vandalized across the country. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters 170 police officers were injured in clashes and praised their response: "They were very professional in very difficult conditions and I would like to reiterate my support for them, my confidence in them and tell them that I am, of course, by their side," he said on Thursday. Is police violence on the rise in France? But campaigners are now demanding answers on how policing works in France. The European Network Against Racism said the death of Nahel, who is understood to be of North African descent, raises "urgent questions about the excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies, particularly towards racialized groups." In a statement sent to DW, the campaign group called on the French government to "take immediate action to address the concerns raised by civil society organizations and human rights groups regarding impunity and racialized policing in France." Jacques de Maillard is a professor of political science at the University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin and the author of the 2022 book "Comparative Policing." De Maillard told DW the death of 17-year-old Nahel is part of a broader trend: "The degradation of relations between the police and young, working-class men from minority ethnic backgrounds is a key element of the situation in France," he said. "When it comes to maintaining public order, there has undeniably been a hardening of police responses in recent years, with violent episodes," de Maillard said. The political scientist pointed to a 2017 law which relaxed the conditions under which police officers can fire shots at vehicles trying to flee a scene. Last year, 13 people died in shootings linked to traffic stop incidents — a record-breaking figure for France. "When you broaden the possibilities of what can be done, the problem is that you create the risk of extensive interpretations of this rule," de Maillard said. But French police spokesperson Sonia Fibleuil pushed back on accusations of rising police violence in her country. "There were 157 incidents involving shots fired at moving vehicles in 2021, and in 2022 there were 138 — so there is a slightly decreasing trend," she told broadcaster Public Sénat on Wednesday. Fibleuil said the use of weapons by police has also decreased from more than 300 incidents per year prior to 2019, down to 285 in 2022. "When an operational shot is fired, it's because we are obliged to do so. We should not forget that the legal framework … outlines strict proportionality and absolute necessity," she said, acknowledging that the record number of traffic stop deaths in 2022 was "dramatic." De Maillard said there are "non-negligible differences" in approaches to policing in France compared with nearby Germany and the United Kingdom. "What seems different to me in these two countries is that the question of police legitimacy weighs more heavily on policy makers and police leaders," he said. De Maillard says German police tend to be more careful when it comes to identity checks, and British police are "more inclined" to favor partnerships with the public. Campaigners demand police reform after teenager's death The European Network Against Racism wants to see the establishment of an independent body to investigate Nahel's death. "The untimely end of a young person's future due to racist police violence demands immediate justice and reform," the campaign group said on Thursday. "Incidents like this only widen the gap between law enforcement and the people they are meant to protect," they added. "Only through collaborative efforts and a redefinition of policing can we hope to bring about meaningful change and ensure that tragedies like this do not occur again." Researcher Jacques de Maillard also thinks something has to change. "It's not that the police institution is a total failure, but there is a collective responsibility," he said. "In my eyes, the institution has a broader duty to put in place systems for recruitment, training and management which emphasize independent checks on police officers' actions." Still, de Maillard says the situation in France remains "very, very complicated." "When you look at political reactions, principally on the right of the spectrum, there are some people who say that in part, the problem here is not the police, the problem is the young people," he said. "There are strong political constraints on police reform because it's an extremely polarizing question."

Police arrested 150 people following a night of "intolerable violence against symbols of the republic," said French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. The riots started after a 17-year-old was shot in a Paris suburb. France witnessed another night of unrest Wednesday as authorities deployed thousands of security forces to quell violent protests sparked by the fatal shooting of a teenager by police. French President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency meeting with senior ministers Thursday, calling the violence "unjustifiable." "A night of intolerable violence against symbols of the republic, with town halls, schools and police stations set on fire or attacked. Shame on those who did not call for calm," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Twitter. He added that 150 people had been arrested. The interior ministry had said 2,000 police had been mobilised in the Paris region, and dozens of them had been injured after the clashes.  The 17-year-old was shot in the chest at point-blank range in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday morning.  The teenager's death led to clashes and arson attacks in several Paris suburbs on Tuesday night, with 31 people arrested and 24 police officers injured. Anger and unrest for second night running On Wednesday, similar incidents occurred in Nanterre and other areas west of Paris, as well as in the eastern city of Dijon. Police clashed with protesters in the northern city of Lille and in Toulouse in the southwest, and there was also unrest in Amiens, Dijon and the Essonne administrative department south of the French capital, a police spokesman said In the Essonne region, a bus was set on fire after passengers were evacuated by a group of individuals. Some protesters set cars ablaze and lit fireworks. In Toulouse, cars were set alight, and responding police and firefighters were targeted with projectiles. About 16 people were arrested across the country, according to the police. 'Inexplicable and unforgivable,' says Macron Police initially reported that an officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving his car at him. But a video circulating on social media, verified by Reuters and AFP news agencies, showed two policemen standing beside the stationary car with one of them pointing a weapon at the driver. A voice can be heard threatening the driver before the police officer appears to fire as the car abruptly drives away. President Emmanuel Macron, during an official visit to the southern city of Marseille, referred to the teenager's killing as "inexplicable and unforgivable," emphasizing that nothing can justify the death of a young person. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne acknowledged that the police operation "clearly did not comply with the rules of engagement for police."  France debates police tactics, treatment of ethnic minorities The incident has reignited debate in France about police tactics and the treatment of individuals in low-income suburbs, particularly those belonging to ethnic minorities. It also drew attention to the increasing violent crime in the country. The victim, named as Nahel M., was a delivery driver. His mother took to TikTok to call for a tribute march. Prominent figures, including footballer Kylian Mbappe and actor Omar Sy, expressed their sadness and outrage over the incident, calling for justice to be served. The 38-year-old police officer who fired the fatal shot was taken into custody and is currently under investigation for voluntary manslaughter. The lawyer for the killed teen, Yassine Bouzrou, plans to file an additional complaint regarding false testimony about Nahel attempting to run over the officers.

Two suspects were arrested after a car chase soon after the shooting. The motive of the attack remains unknown. A 15-year-old boy was killed, and three others were injured in a shooting on Saturday evening outside Stockholm. Two men have been arrested, but the motive of the killing is yet to be established, police said. What we know so far Police, on early Saturday evening, received information regarding the shooting near a square in a southern suburb on the outskirts of Stockholm. When they arrived on the scene, they found two people with gunshot wounds at the site, and two others were found nearby. "The person who died at the scene is a boy aged 15," said Towe Hagg, a Stockholm police spokesperson. Of the three injured, one was a 15-year-old boy, a man aged 45 and a 65-year-old woman, police said in a statement. All three were immediately taken to a hospital. Two men were arrested after a car chase on a highway within one hour of the shooting. An investigation into the shooting has been launched, said the police. Sweden battles violence In two separate shooting incidents, another three people were injured on Friday in the Stockholm area. In recent years, Sweden has been battling a surge in shootings and bombings as gangs settle scores fuelled by the narcotics trade. The country witnessed 391 shootings in 2022, 62 of them fatal, according to police data. The previous year, there were 346 shooting incidents. This year, Sweden has seen 144 shootings by May, with 52 in the Stockholm area. A total of 18 people have been killed, 10 of them in the capital alone.

Two people were killed in a shooting when a man opened fire at a Mercedes plant in southwestern Germany. A suspect has been taken into custody, police said. A large-scale emergency operation was underway following a shooting that left two people dead at the Mercedes plant in Sindelfingen on Thursday morning. A special operations team sealed off the site with a full-scale deployment including two helicopters and several emergency doctors. The Public Prosecutor's Office in the nearby city of Stuttgart said it thought a single perpetrator was responsible for the shooting that killed two 44-year-old men.  The shots were believed to have been fired at a production line team leader, with the arrested suspect being a 53-year-old external worker from a logistics firm. Staff overpowered the suspected perpetrator, detaining him until police arrived, officials said.  What we know so far Multiple shots were reportedly fired at about 7:45 a.m. local time (0545 GMT/UTC). Police tweeted about an hour later that an operation involving police and rescue workers was ongoing on the factory complex, some 15 kilometers (just under 10 miles) southwest of Stuttgart. Authorities confirmed a suspect had been taken into custody. Emergency services were said to have carried out a search of the building looking for other injured people. Employees reported that the scene was the automaker's Factory 56, where the firm's flagship S-Class vehicle is produced. Police are still gathering information, a spokesperson said, and staff are being provided with psychological support.  Mercedes-Benz expressed dismay over the incident. The tragic news from Sindelfingen has deeply shocked us, a company spokesman said, adding, "Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all colleagues on site."