The investigators stated that the incident was preceded by an altercation, but the reason for and the words exchanged during the altercation remain partly a mystery. While Vornanen, who was not identified in the police press release, has corroborated the sequence of events patched together by investigators based on, for example, security camera footage, he insisted that he acted the way he did because he felt threatened.
“There was talk about organised crime. It’s still unclear what exactly was said and who said what. The parties had consumed so much alcohol that it’s affected many of their memory,” Jukka Larkio, the detective chief inspector leading the inquiry at Helsinki Police Department, told Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday.
One person is suspected of making an illegal threat against Vornanen.
Larkio described the other parties as ordinary citizens when asked about the possibility that they had past run-ins with law by the newspaper.
Vornanen also revealed to the investigators that he had brought a firearm twice into his office in the Parliament House. “On the day of the incident, he left his office carrying a firearm,” commented Larkio.
The revelation sent shock waves among other lawmakers, according to a report by Helsingin Sanomat.
“I’m shocked,” said Pia Kauma, a deputy chairperson of the National Coalition. “Especially when you take into consideration that he’s not only a representative, but a police [by his civilian occupation] who should know the laws even better than ordinary representatives.”
“It was shocking to read that a colleague has had firearms in his office in parliament. Firearms don’t belong at any workplace, including the Finnish Parliament,” emphasised Otto Andersson (SFP).
Helsinki Police Department on Wednesday also revealed that its officers seized two unlicensed magazines and gas firearms during a search of the residence of Vornanen. Altogether the lawmaker is suspected of causing danger, two counts of illegal threat and one count each of firearms offence and petty firearms offence.
The case will be presented to a prosecutor for consideration of charges this week.
Vornanen was elected to the Finnish Parliament as a representative of the Finns Party in 2023. He was expelled from both the populist right-wing party and its parliamentary group in the wake of the incident in Helsinki in late April.
He has since set up a one-man parliamentary group.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
