The three victims, said to be a mayor and two journalists, were shot in a pedestrian area outside the restaurant in Imatra, Finland late last night, Metro reports.
The attack occurred moments before a police patrol car arrived at the scene, officials said yesterday.
Detective Inspector Saku Tielinen told a news conference today that it looked like the victims were ‘chosen at random’.
Tiina Wilen-Jappinen was chairwoman of Imatra City Council while the other two women were journalists, the police said.
A 23-year-old local man has since been arrested and is being questioned by officers.
The women were shot multiple times in the head and torso with a rifle. There was no known motive.
Imatra is a small town about 140 miles east of Helsinki.
‘We decided to open a crisis centre after the shooting occurred right in the middle of the town near restaurants and nightclubs,” said Saara Raudasoja, a spokeswoman for the South Karelia Social and Health Care District.
‘There were people there when it happened. In such a small place, it’s quite a huge incident and many people were shocked.’
Photo: Lauri Heino/REX/Shutterstock.