Nonthaburi(Thailand): A 14-year-old student opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School near Bangkok on August 7, Friday. This triggered panic and students fled the campus. However, several teachers and students were injured and killed. As per the latest update, atleast 2 people are killed and 15 are injured & remain in critical condition, in one of Thailand’s deadliest school shootings in recent years. Meanwhile, the suspected gunman later committed suicide after turning the weapon on himself.
Gunman shoots teachers & classmates after killing grandparents
The shooting took place at around 10AM (local time) at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province, immediately northwest of Bangkok. The school has around 3,100 students and 147 teachers, according to district authorities.
Police identified the suspected attacker/gunman as a 14-year-old ninth-grade student at the school. Authorities said he first shot and killed his grandparents at their home, where he lived, before heading to the school and opening fire. The teenager reportedly used a 9mm handgun believed to belong to his grandfather, who was a teacher. Police are investigating how the student obtained access to the weapon.
At the school, the teenager opened fire on teachers and fellow students before turning the gun on himself. Earlier reports said the shooter had died at the scene, while other officials initially reported that he was in critical condition. Authorities later confirmed that he died after the shooting.
The casualty figures changed several times as officials assessed the scene. Initially it was mentioned that atleast six people, including three students and three teachers, were killed at the school, while later updates indicated that the number of teacher fatalities had risen. The casualities & death toll are set to rise as investigations are underway.
Students hide under desks as gunfire sparks panic
The attack sent students and teachers scrambling for safety as gunshots rang out across the school campus. Witnesses described scenes of panic, with students hiding inside classrooms and under desks before police escorted them out of the premises.
An 18-year-old student told media agencies that he initially mistook the sound of gunfire for firecrackers. He said there were several shots, followed by a brief pause before the shooting began again. Similarly, a female eighth-grade student told reporters that she was standing near a teacher when the gunman appeared and opened fire. She said she escaped by climbing over the school fence with other students.
Immediately, emergency responders rushed to the campus while police secured the premises and searched for the shooter. Rescuers treated victims suffering gunshot wounds at chest, back and arms and later took them to hospitals.
Images from the scene showed students gathered outside the school as ambulances and emergency personnel arrived. Teachers were also seen comforting one another and breaking down in tears. The Central Investigation Bureau said the situation was brought under control as authorities began examining the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Thailand faces renewed questions over gun control
Police have yet to establish a clear motive for the shooting. Authorities are examining evidence recovered from the teenager’s home, including indications that he was an avid gamer. A teacher reportedly described him as a good student with no known history of aggressive behaviour.
The attack has renewed concerns over gun access in Thailand, which has a comparatively high rate of gun ownership in Southeast Asia despite strict gun laws. People’s Party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut called for a serious review of the country’s gun-control measures, saying violence at educational institutions should prompt a reassessment of firearm regulations.
This is not the maiden gun attack incident in Thailand and such instances keep recurring. In February a school shooting was witnessed in southern Thailand, where a teacher was killed and a student was injured. Thailand has also witnessed several other deadly shootings in recent years, including the 2022 massacre at a childcare centre in northeastern Thailand that killed 36 people, including children.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed condolences to the victims’ families and directed authorities to provide assistance to those affected. Investigators are continuing to probe the motive, the source of the firearm and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the suspect’s grandparents.
