Escaped psychiatric patient linked to attempted stairwell shooting in Helsinki's Töölö

A 21-year-old male patient escaped from Niuvanniemi psychiatric hospital on Thursday morning while out for a walk and has not been located as of Friday afternoon. He is the same individual charged with attempting to shoot a 16-year-old boy in the stairwell of a high-rise building in Helsinki's Töölö district in September 2025; the victim was hit multiple times but did not sustain life-threatening injuries. The suspect, who has a history of violent offenses such as armed robberies, was previously ordered by a court to undergo a mental-state assessment, which he resisted.

Police describe him as potentially unpredictable and have issued a public warning not to approach him. They ask anyone with information to call emergency number 112. The man is described as light-skinned, 172 cm tall, one outlet, with short dark hair, brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, grey trousers and a hoodie. Officials also noted he might try to move toward the capital region.