Investigators in Helsinki suspect that the 13-year-old girl who stabbed a male classmate had "thought about the stabbing for some time," police announced in a press release on Thursday.
Police have wrapped up a preliminary investigation into the 8 March incident, during which the teenage girl stabbed a 14-year-old male student during a home economics class at the Vesala Comprehensive School in eastern Helsinki.
Police said the suspect stabbed the boy in the side of his body with a large kitchen knife, while about a dozen classmates were present in the classroom.
The suspect then gave up the knife and remained seated in the class, and then teachers took her away, according to police.
The victim suffered life-threatening injuries but is continuing to recover, police said.
Police find possible motive
"We discovered in the preliminary investigation that the suspect had been thinking about the stabbing for some time. For example, she had written online about her interest in stabbing someone in order to be sent to an institution or prison," Inspector Marko Forss, chief investigator of the case, said in the release.
"The act took place completely unexpectedly. The stabbing was not preceded, for example, by a verbal attack. Police are not aware that the suspect had an argument or other grudge with the victim or anyone else," Forss explained.
As a rule, police investigate suspected crimes committed by people under the age of 15 if necessary, the press release stated.
In this case, the preliminary investigation will not proceed to prosecutors or the district court, as social services are now responsible for further action, police said.
Other information related to the case is sealed from the public on privacy grounds, police said.