Police investigate potential threat at Kontiolahti School in North Karelia

On Friday morning, police were stationed at Kontiolahti School in North Karelia due to reports of a potential threat. A message was sent via the school’s communication platform, Wilma, informing students and parents that rumors had circulated in a student WhatsApp group the previous evening. The rumors suggested that a student threatened to come to school with a weapon on Friday.

According to the message, police had already addressed the situation on Thursday night and interviewed the individual allegedly making the threat. The police assessment indicated a low level of threat, allowing the school day to proceed normally.

Antti Väänänen, the principal of Kontiolahti School, noted that the school day commenced peacefully.

The Eastern Finland police provided further details on the incident, confirming that the threat information had spread through a joint WhatsApp group among students. Police had arrived at the school the previous afternoon and identified the suspect, an under-15 male student at Kontiolahti School. The police spoke with the student again on Friday.

Superintendent Harri-Pekka Pohjolainen stated that the police believe the suspect had no intention of carrying out the threat and likely did not have access to any weapons. “However, any such threats are taken extremely seriously by the police,” Pohjolainen emphasized.

The case is being investigated as an illegal threat, but due to the suspect’s young age, he cannot be held criminally responsible. Police indicated that the threat stemmed from disagreements between two students.

The school has informed its student support staff to ensure students can access crisis and counseling assistance if necessary. Teachers have been advised to address the situation in an age-appropriate manner with their classes, and additional counselors and psychologists may be brought in as needed from other schools in the area.