Finnish MP commits suicide inside parliament building
A Finnish politician has died in the Helsinki Parliament, as police and emergency services rushed to the capital’s building.
According to reports, it is understood the person took his own life, while police are not treating the death as suspicious.
The building’s Security Director, Aaro Toivonen, told local newspaper Iltalehti that police were handling the situation.
The Speaker of Parliament, Jussi Halla-aho, did not comment on the incident, but referred to a statement issued by the police on the matter.
Police are investigating the matter as a cause of death. According to police, there does not appear to be any criminal involvement in the incident.
Several police patrols and emergency services are at the scene.
Toivonen described the situation to Finnish newspaper Yle: “A mission is underway, with rescue authorities, police and emergency services on the scene. I can’t say more than that at this stage.”
“I can’t say what the emergency response from the emergency center was. Parliament is a bit of an extraordinary place, so one can imagine that such things were taken into consideration when the situation was unclear,” he added.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing several ambulances driving away with their sirens blaring. Jussi Seppälä, who worked near the Parliament building, was reportedly talking on the phone outside his office when he was woken up by the sounds of emergency vehicles.
