Oulu police investigate possible serial attacker after multiple stabbings

Police in Oulu are investigating whether a cyclist who has stabbed or assaulted at least nine people since May 2025 may be a serial offender, Yle reports.

The latest attack occurred on Friday, when a man on a bicycle stabbed a foreign-born pedestrian in the back near the intersection of Joutsentie and Kajaanintie in the Kaukovainio district. Authorities are treating the case as attempted murder and have released surveillance images of the suspect, urging the public to provide information via email at [email protected] or by calling 0295 416 194.

Most of the victims in the string of attacks have been of foreign origin. The incidents include a May 26, 2025 stabbing in Kaukovainio, where a cyclist attacked a foreign-born man from behind with a bladed weapon. In April 2026, four less severe assaults involved a cyclist pushing, hitting, or shoving Finnish-born women in central Oulu; no weapon was used in those cases, and the suspect was later apprehended and identified as a person with mental health issues.

On April 14, a young man in a beige jacket riding a traditional narrow-tire men’s bicycle stabbed a foreign-born man in the back in Vaaranpuisto park in the Raksila district. A suspect was detained but later released due to insufficient evidence for detention.

On May 11, a cyclist struck or pushed a foreign-born woman from behind near the Kajaanintie underpass in Välkkylä. The victim reported the attacker may have dropped a knife, though none was found at the scene.

On June 5, a cyclist stabbed an unknown foreign-born woman in the back with a bladed weapon in Knuuttilankangas. Local media reported the suspect used a derogatory term during the attack.

Police have not confirmed whether the same individual is responsible for all the incidents.