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Finnish police shoot man who stabs several people in Turku

Armed Finnish policemen on guard at the Helsinki airport on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, as Finnish authorities announced they will raise readiness levels after an incident in Turku Finland. Police in Finland say they have shot a man in the leg after he was suspected of stabbing several people in the western city of Turku. (Lehtikuva via AP)
Armed Finnish policemen on guard at the Helsinki airport on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, as Finnish authorities announced they will raise readiness levels after an incident in Turku Finland. Police in Finland say they have shot a man in the leg after he was suspected of stabbing several people in the western city of Turku. (Lehtikuva via AP) Armed Finnish policemen on guard at the Helsinki airport on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, as Finnish authorities announced they will raise readiness levels after an incident in Turku Finland. Police in Finland say they have shot a man in the leg after he was suspected of stabbing several people in the western city of Turku. (Lehtikuva via AP)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) – A man stabbed several people in Finland’s western city of Turku before police shot him in a leg and detained him Friday, police said, adding that authorities were looking for more potential suspects.

Finnish broadcaster YLE says several people were seen lying on the ground in Puutori square in central Turku. On Twitter, police urged people to avoid that part of Turku.

One person has been “apprehended,” Finnish police said, adding “several people had been stabbed.” Their conditions weren’t immediately available.

Tabloid Ilta-Sanomat says six people were injured, one man and five women, and that a woman with stroller was attacked by a man with a large knife.

Prime Minister Juha Sipila said the government was closely monitoring the ongoing police operation and holding an emergency meeting later Friday.

Police planned a news conference at 7 p.m. (1500 GMT; 11 a.m. EDT) in Turku, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) west of Helsinki.