Story highlights Finnish man, 23, used a hunting rifle to shoot victims, police say

There's no evidence of political or religious motivation behind attack

(CNN) The leader of a town council and two journalists have been shot dead in an attack outside a restaurant in southeastern Finland, police said.

A 23-year-old Finnish man is believed to have killed the three women with a hunting rifle in the town of Imatra, Southeastern Finland police Sgt. Heli Jämsén-Turkki said. The suspect has been arrested.

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Two of the women were in their 30s and the third was in her 50s, according to police, who did not immediately identify the victims.

Jämsén-Turkki said there was no evidence of any political or religious motivation behind the attack, which happened around midnight on Saturday.

The shooting took place outside a Finnish restaurant.

The sergeant added that given how quickly the shooting unfolded, the killer couldn't have recognized his victims, leading police to believe this was a random attack.