Sanna Sillanpää
Encyclopedia
Sanna Riitta Liisa Sillanpää (born April 15, 1968) is a Finnish
woman, who shot three men to death with a rented pistol
on 21 February 1999 in a shooting club on Albertinkatu, Helsinki
, and wounded another man, who received lifetime injuries. One man present was not harmed. The dead were the shooting club's 23-year-old supervisor, a 25-year-old car mechanic
and a 37-year-old car driver.
As Sillanpää was leaving the club, she said: "This is what they taught us at the FBI academy, isn't it?". She then travelled from the Helsinki centre to the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
in a city bus, carrying a gun and ammunition. At the airport she was trying to buy a ticket "somewhere". Sillanpää was caught after four hours as she was boarding a plane
to London
. Before boarding the plane she left the murder weapon in a trash can
in the airport terminal. It was discovered by a cleaner.
At the trials and hearings Sillanpää did not speak at all. No motive for the act was found.
Sillanpää was sent to a mental health examinations on 2 June 1999. She was found to suffer from paranoid
schizophrenia
. In district court, the state prosecutor Maarit Loimukoski demanded Sillanpää be imprisoned for three acts of manslaughter
without full understanding (partially insane) and for two attempted acts of manslaughter, but on 11 October 1999, the district court found Sillanpää to be without understanding (legally insane).
Loimukoski appealed the decision to the Helsinki Court of Appeal, but the decision was upheld on 11 October 2000. Loimukoski explained that the reason for her demand for punishment was that Sillanpää had acted with premeditation in attempting to flee Finland and hiding the gun after the act. Sillanpää was sent to the Niuvanniemi mental hospital
in Kuopio
.
Sillanpää, 30 years old at the time, has a Master's degree
in computer science
and is an IT
expert.
After the incident, a public discussion about renting firearm
s on shooting range
s started in Finland. Many wanted to tighten the availability of weapons. New propositions were made by the authorities and in shooting clubs.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
woman, who shot three men to death with a rented pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
on 21 February 1999 in a shooting club on Albertinkatu, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, and wounded another man, who received lifetime injuries. One man present was not harmed. The dead were the shooting club's 23-year-old supervisor, a 25-year-old car mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
and a 37-year-old car driver.
As Sillanpää was leaving the club, she said: "This is what they taught us at the FBI academy, isn't it?". She then travelled from the Helsinki centre to the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
Helsinki Airport or Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is the main international airport of the Helsinki metropolitan region and the whole of Finland. It is located in Vantaa, Finland, about west of Tikkurila, the centre of Vantaa, and north of Helsinki city centre...
in a city bus, carrying a gun and ammunition. At the airport she was trying to buy a ticket "somewhere". Sillanpää was caught after four hours as she was boarding a plane
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Before boarding the plane she left the murder weapon in a trash can
Waste container
A waste container is a container for temporarily storing refuse and waste. Different terms are in use, depending on the language area, the design and material and the respective site .The most general terms are waste receptacle and container bin.Common terms include dustbin ,...
in the airport terminal. It was discovered by a cleaner.
At the trials and hearings Sillanpää did not speak at all. No motive for the act was found.
Sillanpää was sent to a mental health examinations on 2 June 1999. She was found to suffer from paranoid
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
. In district court, the state prosecutor Maarit Loimukoski demanded Sillanpää be imprisoned for three acts of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
without full understanding (partially insane) and for two attempted acts of manslaughter, but on 11 October 1999, the district court found Sillanpää to be without understanding (legally insane).
Loimukoski appealed the decision to the Helsinki Court of Appeal, but the decision was upheld on 11 October 2000. Loimukoski explained that the reason for her demand for punishment was that Sillanpää had acted with premeditation in attempting to flee Finland and hiding the gun after the act. Sillanpää was sent to the Niuvanniemi mental hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
in Kuopio
Kuopio
Kuopio is a city and a municipality located in the region of Northern Savonia, Finland. A population of makes it the ninth biggest city in the country. The city has a total area of , of which is water and half forest...
.
Sillanpää, 30 years old at the time, has a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
and is an IT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
expert.
After the incident, a public discussion about renting firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s on shooting range
Shooting range
A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
s started in Finland. Many wanted to tighten the availability of weapons. New propositions were made by the authorities and in shooting clubs.
External links
- MTV3 News archive 21 February 1999: Shooting club manslaughter suspect has not confessed
- MTV3 News archive 23 February 1999: Weapon allegedly used in triple manslaughter found
- MTV3 News archive 24 February 1999: Triple manslaughter suspect: "The bullets are personal mementos"
- MTV3 News archive 31 May 1999: Key witness certain about Sillanpää's guilt
- MTV3 News archive 31 May 1999: Sillanpää sent to mental health examination
- Turun Sanomat 11 October 2000: Court of Appeal upheld triple killer's sentence
- Helsingin Sanomat, 12 October 1999: Sillanpää guilty of three counts of manslaughter
- A picture of Sillanpää
- Master level graduates from University of Helsinki, Department of computer science.
Books
- Pohjolan poliisi kertoo 2001 (article: Ampumaratasurmat)