Finnish MP Timo Vornanen says over 30 minutes of surveillance footage has disappeared from the Bar Ihku shooting incident. The case involves events that occurred last April outside a Helsinki restaurant.
State Prosecutor Tapio Mäkinen responded to these claims in a statement. He confirmed requesting all materials from police but said he has no knowledge of what happened to any missing footage.
Mäkinen stated the allegedly missing recording has no relevance to the charges. "All events described in the charges are on the tape," he said. "I haven't even brought charges about the events Vornanen describes."
The court will hear the case in November at Helsinki District Court. According to the preliminary investigation, Vornanen fired a shot into the ground outside Bar Ihku and pointed a firearm at two people.
Vornanen faces charges including assault, two counts of illegal threats, endangering public safety, and firearms offenses. The parliament member has denied all allegations.
In a Facebook post, Vornanen claimed the missing footage shows him conversing with a man identified as Mr. S at the restaurant's bar counter. He alleges Mr. S threatened him during this conversation.
Vornanen wrote that he later understood these threats related to actions by Mr. S's friend toward him inside the restaurant. He stated Mr. S later attacked him on the street.
The MP says the footage shows his attempts to de-escalate the situation. He confirmed filing an investigation request with the National Bureau of Investigation regarding the missing evidence.
This case highlights ongoing tensions in Finnish politics where firearms incidents involving public officials remain rare but draw significant attention when they occur.