Mayor and journalists shot dead in small town in Finland

A mayor and two journalists have been shot dead by a man with a rifle in the small town of Imatra in Finland. The three women were shot multiple times in their head and torsos as they left a restaurant on Saturday night. A 23-year-old man was arrested at the scene. Police said he did not arrest when confronted by officers who arrived just moments after the shooting. The motive for the killings is not clear. Southeastern Finland Police Department said the suspect had a criminal record.

At the moment, it looks like the victims were chosen at random.

Detective Inspector Saku Tielinen

Saara Raudasoja, a spokeswoman for the South Karelia Social and Health Care District, said: “We decided to open a crisis center after the shooting occurred right in the middle of the town near restaurants and nightclubs. "There were people there when it happened. In such a small place, it’s quite a huge incident and many people were shocked.” Just 28,000 people live in Imatra, which is about 140 miles (230km) from the capital Helsinki.

Europe