Two Men on Trial for Attempted Homicide of 15-Year-Old in Forssa
The Kanta-Häme District Court is hearing a case today involving two men, aged 21 and 18 at the time of the incident, who are accused of attempted homicide and aggravated assault against a 15-year-old boy. The violent attack occurred in Forssa in December 2025, following a verbal dispute between two groups.
According to the prosecutor’s indictment, the 21-year-old man stabbed the victim three times in the torso and arm while the 18-year-old held the boy in a bear hug. The victim sustained knife wounds to the lower back, side, and arm, as well as internal injuries. Yle reports that the victim’s winter jacket was pierced by the knife strikes, with police documenting the damage during the preliminary investigation.
The act remained an attempted homicide due to prompt medical intervention, which prevented damage to vital organs. The prosecutor demands a minimum of four years of unconditional imprisonment for both men for attempted homicide, with additional charges of aggravated assault. Ilta-Sanomat notes that the prosecutor also seeks over two years of imprisonment for both defendants.
The victim, now 16, is claiming nearly 30,000 euros in compensation for physical, psychological, and cosmetic damages (Yle).
Dispute Over Intent and Involvement
Both defendants deny the charge of attempted homicide. The 21-year-old man admits to causing the injuries but claims he did not intend to kill the victim. He states that he stabbed the boy while the 15-year-old was on top of the younger defendant, arguing that the act was an excessive use of self-defense. Ilta-Sanomat reports that he claims not to have known where the knife struck.
The 18-year-old defendant denies holding the victim in a bear hug and denies all violence against the teenager, both alone and in cooperation with the other defendant. He admits to having an aluminum pipe but states he only hit "some person" with it. The 21-year-old also denies that the younger man participated in the violence (Yle).
Timeline of Events
The incident began on the evening of December 8, 2025, when a verbal dispute erupted between two groups in the courtyard of an apartment building in Forssa. The groups separated but later encountered each other again, leading to the attack on the 15-year-old. The victim managed to escape to the yard of a nearby school, where he was later transported to the hospital (Yle).
According to the summons application, one of the defendants stated during the preliminary investigation that the disagreement involved "foreigners" (Yle).
Both men were detained at the end of 2025, with the 21-year-old held in custody for a couple of weeks before being released on December 29 (Ilta-Sanomat). The court proceedings will determine the outcome of the charges.
