Three injured as underage boys fire pellet gun at passersby in Joensuu

Three people were injured when two underage boys shot at random pedestrians with a pellet gun in broad daylight in central Joensuu, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The incident occurred around 2 p.m. on Friday, May 8, at the intersection of Yläsatamakatu and Torikatu streets. Police apprehended the suspects shortly afterward—one immediately and the second quickly identified by descriptions.

Two crime reports were filed, with three victims sustaining minor injuries: one struck in the face, another in the neck, and a third in the torso. Detective Inspector Minna Väistö of Eastern Finland Police told Yle that the situation could have been far more serious if the pellets had hit the eyes.

The suspects, both minors, face charges of assault and possession of a dangerous weapon. Due to their age, they will not be held criminally liable; instead, the case will be handled by child welfare authorities.

Väistö, who works in the police’s preventive operations unit, noted that violent offenses by minors have become more visible in recent statistics.