Prosecutor opens investigation into police officer pointing gun at man

Finland’s Prosecution Service has opened a preliminary investigation into an incident in Tampere in which a police officer pointed a gun at a bystander, Yle reports.

The case is being investigated as a suspected violation of official duty and an unlawful threat.

Police may point a firearm at someone only when the conditions set out in the Police Act are met. The investigation will determine whether those conditions were fulfilled in this case.

Video recorded in Tampere shows the officer pointing the gun at a man. The man had opened the door of a van parked by the roadside because no one appeared to be inside. The person filming the incident questioned why the officer did not come over to speak to him.

Police confirmed on Monday that the officer was carrying out a traffic-control task. The Inner Finland police department told Yle that the officer was alone.