- The suspect in a school shooting in the Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province killed eight people in total on Friday, police said. First he shot his grandparents dead, using his grandfather’s handgun, then went to his school, the Debsirin Nonthaburi School on Bangkok’s outskirts, and killed three teachers and three students, according to national police.
- Lt. Col. Dechrapee Kongdee, the Nonthaburi provincial police commander, confirmed that the suspected gunman had taken his own life.
- Thailand’s health minister, Pattana Promphat, said in an update that 22 people were injured in the school shooting, with nine reported to be in critical condition. Some were injured from causes such as falls, and it wasn’t clear how many were shot.
- The shooter was a student who remained inside the school after reports of the attack first emerged, Arsit Sampantharat, the permanent secretary for the interior ministry, told news station PPTV. A witness told reporters that students hid inside a classroom while they heard gunshots from another building before police officers knocked on the door and cleared a way for them to leave the building.
- It is the second school shooting in Thailand this year after a teacher died and a student was injured in the south of the country in February.
- The leader of the People’s Party, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, has said that while the motive for the school shooting remains unclear it serves “as another wake-up call to Thai society.” He expressed his “deepest condolences” to those who were killed and injured, and wrote on Facebook: “We must collectively review and implement a systematic approach to gun control measures, coupled with enhanced security measures in educational institutions to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.”
A ninth-grade student in Thailand committed a tragic shooting spree on Friday, first killing his grandparents with a handgun before targeting his school, Debsirin Nonthaburi, where he shot eight individuals, including three teachers and three students.
Lt. Col. Dechrapee Kongdee, the Nonthaburi provincial police commander, confirmed that the shooter later took his own life.
The incident left 22 people injured, with nine reported in critical condition, according to Thailand’s health minister, Pattana Promphat.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as students hid in classrooms while gunfire erupted nearby.
This shooting marks the second school shooting in Thailand this year, following an earlier incident in February that resulted in a teacher's death and a student's injury.7
Opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut called the event a “wake-up call to Thai society,” urging a review of gun control measures and enhanced security in schools. He expressed his “deepest condolences” to the victims and their families.
The shooter fired a total of 60 rounds during the attack, with police stating that 34 rounds of ammunition were found at the scene.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but it has sparked discussions on the need for improved safety protocols in educational institutions.
“The suspect, a ninth-grader, fired 26 rounds and 34 more were found at the scene. Health minister reported 22 injured, nine critical, and opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut called for systematic gun control and enhanced school security.”
theguardian.com
