Thailand school shooting death toll rises to nine
AI generated summary, newsroom reviewed
The death toll from a school shooting in Thailand rose to nine on Saturday after a 12-year-old girl injured in the attack died in hospital, police said.
The girl was critically wounded in Friday’s shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, northwest of Bangkok. Police said a 14-year-old boy allegedly shot his grandparents before opening fire at the school and later killing himself.
The teenager wounded more than 30 people in the attack, with 14 still receiving treatment in hospital on Saturday evening. Seven of those injured were in critical condition.
Police are continuing to question witnesses, including the suspect’s parents, as part of the investigation. Authorities said the boy had lived with his grandparents for 12 years after his parents separated.
Police said the teenager fired at least 26 bullets from a gun belonging to his grandfather and was found with 34 additional rounds of ammunition. A knife was also recovered from his bag, along with other evidence including spent cartridges and a personal computer.
Deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 1 Atthapol Anusit said the teenager had shown an interest in firearms for one to two years. Police also said he had previously had an air gun confiscated by a teacher and had used social media and online content to learn about firearms.
The incident prompted a lockdown at the school, which was lifted after about half an hour. Images from the scene showed students being evacuated, some running in only their socks.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has vowed to introduce new gun-control measures following the shooting. He said only government officials on duty would be permitted to carry guns, although he did not provide details on possible changes to gun ownership laws.
Thailand has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia. The country has experienced several mass shootings in recent years, including a 2022 attack in northeastern Thailand that killed 37 people, including 22 children.