Prosecutor seeks prison sentence for man accused of attempted murder in Turku

A prosecutor is seeking an unconditional prison sentence for a man accused of two attempted murders following a stabbing incident in the Perniö district of Turku in May. During police investigations, the accused revealed his intention to kill as many people as possible. According to the indictment, he equipped himself with three sharp weapons, ingested medication to prepare for the act, and went to the parking lot of a service center at the beginning of May.

The accused approached his first victim from behind, stabbing them twice before attacking a second victim who was standing nearby, injuring them three times in the neck. He has admitted to the actions during the pre-trial investigation but denies that they were premeditated and claims he has not committed attempted murder. Instead, he argues that the charges should be classified as attempted manslaughter, asserting that he only intended to inflict harm. Notably, after the attacks, he also stabbed himself in the stomach.

The prosecutor contends that the accused is guilty of two attempted murders since the actions were carried out with careful consideration and aimed at causing the victims’ deaths. The prosecutor further highlights that the crime took place in a busy parking lot, with the victims chosen at random, making the act particularly shocking. Because one of the victims was also stabbed in the neck, the incident is classified as severe. The prosecutor is consequently calling for the defendant to be sentenced to over two years in prison. The District Court of Southwest Finland began hearing the case on Tuesday.