Policeman on Trial in Connection with College Massacre

A policeman who many believe could have prevented the college massacre in Kauhajoki last year goes on trial for negligent dereliction of duty.

The trial begins Thursday. The families of the people killed are seeking convictions in their civil suit for more serious crimes. They say the officer is guilty of dereliction of duty and ten counts of aggravated manslaughter.

The police officer says he is not guilty of the charges against him.
In addition, the families are demanding damages from the government to the tune of 860,000 euros.
"Obviously money can't replace a human life. This is symbolic compensation, which is reasonable given the indescribable suffering these people have had to go through," says the families' legal advisor Lasse Vuola.
The government says it is not culpable for the damages, because the tragedy was so completely unpredictable

The Tragic events of Kauhajoki
The officer visited the killer Matti Saari's home, after police were alerted to You Tube videos where Saari had filmed himself shooting a firearm and making general threats. The officer did not take the weapon away, as he felt no crime had been committed and the guns were perfectly legal.
The next day, Saari entered the Kauhajoki Vocational College and ran through the school shooting. He killed nine students and one teacher before turning the gun on himself.

Kauhajoki Factbox

- 19.09.2009: Accused's supervisor orders Saari's weapon to be confiscated.
- 20.09.2009: Officer interviews Saari over internet videos but does not confiscate gun.
- 21.09.2009: Saari opens fire at the college, killing ten and then himself.
- The Kauhajoki Vocational College is for youth over 16 years of age, and teaches institutional cooking, nursing, travel and hospitality.
- In 2005, the school had 150 students and 23 teachers.