Europe

3 dead in Finland shooting in southeastern town

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Police guard the area where three women were killed in a shooting incident outside of a restaurant in Imatra, Finland after midnight, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016. A gunman killed a local town councilor and two journalists, all women, in an apparent random shooting in a nightlife district in a small town in southeastern Finland, police said Sunday. A male suspect has been detained. (Hannu Rissanen/Lehtikuva via AP) (The Associated Press)

Police investigate the area where three women were killed in a shooting incident outside of a restaurant in Imatra, Finland after midnight, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016. A gunman killed a local town councilor and two journalists, all women, in an apparent random shooting in a nightlife district in a small town in southeastern Finland, police said Sunday. A male suspect has been detained. (Hannu Rissanen/Lehtikuva via AP) (The Associated Press)

Police guard the area where three women were killed in a shooting incident outside of a restaurant in Imatra, Finland after midnight, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016. A gunman killed a local town councilor and two journalists, all women, in an apparent random shooting in a nightlife district in a small town in southeastern Finland, police said Sunday. A male suspect has been detained. (Hannu Rissanen/Lehtikuva via AP) (The Associated Press)

Local officials in Finland say that three people have been fatally shot in a southeastern town overnight.

The South Karelia Social and Health Care District says on its website that the shooting happened in the town of Imatra.

Imatra police on Sunday confirmed in a brief statement that a shooting incident had occurred in the town at about midnight Saturday but didn't mention victims and gave no other details.

Health officials said they had opened a crisis center in the town.

No other details were immediately available. Police said they would provide more information later.