Yet another student brags on YouTube before going on a killing spree

These videos were posted on YouTube by a student who killed ten people in a shooting spree in a school in Finland this morning.

Matti Juhani Saari, 22, got his arms license in August. The police questioned him about these videos, which show the young student making threats and practicing firing.

He was released without charge - there was no charge the police were able to bring against him. This morning, Matti Juhani Saari walked into school classroom and opened fire before turning the weapon on himself.

Already in November 2007 an 18-year-old filmed himself and posted the video online before taking a gun to his classmates, killing eight people. The incidents are reminiscent of the Virginia Tech massacre in the US in April 2007, when 32 people were found dead. In that case too, the student made a video before carrying out the act.

WARNING, YOU MAY FIND THESE VIDEOS UPSETTING.

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Comments

Disgusting

This is just sick, kids need to rethink the way our society is going.

Unregistered user

UPDATE

UPDATE (24 Sept 08 – 12pm): Following the second deadly shooting in under a year, Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanahnen has vowed to tighten up on the country’s guns laws. A debate that was launched after the 2007 school massacre, but ignored by the government. The Finnish law still allows over 15s to carry arms. The subject of gun rights for minors was recently debated on the Observers site following the publication of this post

Team Observers's picture

Team Observers

  • France
  • Journaliste

Open your eyes everybody,

Open your eyes everybody, shooting sprees such as these, just like the one in Columbine High School and Montreal University are staged by the world powers in order to scare people into giving up their weapons. To install their global dicatatorial government, the ruling forces must first disarm the populations. Of course, how can you invade, how can you conquer an armed population? This game is conducted between countries as individual entities, whereby the allied forces (UN) are trying to disarm nations from using nuclear weapons, but it's OK if they have them. How ironic is it that Finland is third for gun ownership, they even tell you this along with the news. God damn it, it's all in plain view but you couldn't see a mountain staring at it. The past 30000+ years would have been completely different had people been armed, instead, they were coerced by their very ruling forces to disarm and expose themselves to erradication. Animals can defend themselves, but we can't even carry a knife with us! This is a war against humanity.

Unregistered user

finland shooting

Well there are a lot of disturbed and sick people mentally that is on this planet ,equally are the incompetant govts with thier deluded structure of what society should be.what is more disturbing are these internet companies ,which are baseless ,shallow and hollow, people who have no concept on what is approiate material to broadcast,probably suffer from the same systoms of its demented subscribers.

Unregistered user

...

Censorship has nothing to do with this. I think that by focusing on the videos, we are ignoring the real issues here. Guns do not kill people; people kill people. These young men have issues, and killing seems to be their only solutions. The videos are part of sharing that view.

In Finland, the discussion about gun laws has been resparked, because guns and violence are media friendly. Depression is not, nor are other psychological issues. Hence, the real causes - the state of Finnish society that currently breeds isolation and loneliness - is not brought to light.

All we see is the video.

What new facts do these videos bring us? Do they tell us a motive? Do they tell us how this guy felt? No solutions, suggestions, or real information can be derived from them.

They're here because they are creepy. Because this guy is now dead, and so are eleven of his classmates. Everyone wants to get a glimpse of this guy.

In addition, I don't think that just because the video is all over OTHER media is a good reason for posting it here. It's an excuse. Justification for not to thinking, but merely following the crowd.

Maija Baijukya's picture

Unregistered user

Shooting in Finland

I totally agree with you that the real issue here is psychological issues. It really make me sad to see what is becoming of Finland.I have been living in Finland for almost 21 years, and as a foreigner I fell in love with it.I came to this beautiful country in the 80's, where generally the Finns are honest,law abiding citizens,and nature loving people.I had also lived in other countries,but still has the opinion that Finland is still a safer place to live and raise a family.

Unregistered user

Again, we believe that not

Again, we believe that not reporting this kind of information is a slippery slope since your argument can be used against many other documents we publish. These videos indeed raise several issues that can be discussed : gun rights, online regulations regarding this kind of material, etc. But we believe it's always better to discuss these videos than to cover them up. We have to be careful not to blame YouTube, or the media, for a phenomenom which certainly has deeper roots.

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Team Observers

  • France
  • Journaliste

I thought this kind of thing

I thought this kind of thing doesnt happen in Europe?
Maybe that school needs Mckenzie the 11 year old who can field strip and reassemble an AR15 type rifle in 53 seconds?

I cant wait for ppl to start blaming America for this too lol

Unregistered user

Don't post the videos.

I find it a disgrace that France24 has these videos on their website. This is not constructive, and may encourage others to follow in this man's footsteps. If it is fame and attention that these people seek, then you are giving it to them. YouTube has done enough to share this content, and so far no good has come of it.

Out of respect towards those concerned - those in intensive care, deceased, those who've lost a loved one, and the people that this day will haunt for years to come - do not play into the agenda of this twisted mind.

Have the decency to remove the videos.

Maija, Finland.

Unregistered user

Reality vs Censorship

No offense Maija but not everyone and every country is into suppresion of information and censorship,people have a right to know about the world they live in,it may be ugly,but people have the right

Unregistered user

the Finnish school shootings

When will Media realize that by "reporting" and showing the videos of this mad man only propagates and reinforces this evil and criminal behavior. The point of someone commiting these horrendous acts is that they get to think that they will have permanent notoriety (even though they may not be alive). By graphically showing and even talking about this, only confirms what this mad man had in mind-worldwide horror and out of that this evil act will be recorded forever. If there was no mention of this, then the criminal would get nothing from commiting this atrocity. So maybe as a news reporting organization, you need to reassess the moral value to "reporting (i.e., publicizing)" such horrible criminal acts. The less attention, the less likely it will be appealing to continue to do. You, the Media have the ability to turn thr tide on sensationalist journalism-it is your choice whether to act positively and remove the videos or continue to bring yourself to the same level of evil.

Unregistered user

Important discussion

You're raising an interesting and importante point. These images have been shown by most media around the world. in this post, we chose to point out that these YouTube killers are imitating each other. It's sad, but it's information that we think media have to report. We understand your concern, but we truly believe that not reporting the facts is always the wrong solution.

Team Observers's picture

Team Observers

  • France
  • Journaliste

Finland School Shooting

I agree with Team Observers - The fact is, too many in the world try to hide from reality. They claim sharing the truth is negative when it is something like this; or the irresponsible war (that shouldn't be) in Iraq. Fact are facts,if you want to hide from the truth, don't read the news, don't watch the news, and don't use the internet. The real issue is more of a lack of guidance in our world society. Violence has become the game of choice. Look at video games. Then you can grow up and go and fight a war and kill people for real. If you don't enlist in the service and go to a war, you can make one of your own. Drive thru any neighborhood and just shoot whomever moves. If that is too easy, drive down the highway and shoot at people in cars. Or hide in woods near a highway and shoot moving vehicles. No one person can be blamed for the way our societies have turned out. The governments of all of them can be blamed for not doing more to control what is allowed to be made available to the public, and specifically to children. You cannot rely on parents to obey laws that prohibit minors from playing violent games; or suggestive music. It is a world built on violence, wars, continual conflict and oppression of people. Until all people of all nations realize we are all related and all entitled to the same rights, that male and female, young and old are entitled to the same rights the world will not be at peace. It cannot, nor will not ever happen. So we must find a happy medium and somehow learn to accept others ideals, beliefs and learn to adjust. We of any nation cannot expect the entire world to beleive we are solely right in our beliefs. No one system of government will ever rule the world, least not the world as we now know it.

Unregistered user