Finland multiple murder motives remain unclear

Police say the motives behind last week’s multiple murders and suicide in Espoo, southern Finland are still uncertain despite the killer’s noted history of violent behaviour and firearms involvement.

Ethnic Albanian Ibrhaim Skhupolli stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death at her apartment before shooting four members of staff at a shopping centre where she worked. He later turned his gun on himself at home.

YLE reports that while forensic investigations have been completed by police, they are continuing with their interviews with employees from the Prisma store and also eyewitnesses.

Police have confirmed that Skhupolli had made repeated threats towards his ex-girlfriend prior to her murder and had been known to have been stalking her for some months. The woman had had a restraining order placed against Skhupolli who also had a history of gun crime.

There have been witness reports that the pair was seen shopping together some time before the incident, with Haapala adding that it was known that they were in each other’s company only days before the stabbing, despite the restraining order.

“The suspect was placed under a restraining order last April, so it’s been a matter of months,” said National Bureau of Investigation Chief Inspector Tero Haapala. “However, there is evidence of stalking and harassment well before April. This was a long-term problem, one going back years.”

Investigations have been continuing into the issuing of a Serbian visa to Shkupolli, who left Kosovo in November for Helsinki. Prisma store owner-operator, the S-Group observed a two-minute silence in remembrance of the murdered employees across all its locations.