Eight dead after teen kills grandparents, opens fire at Thailand school

At least eight people have been confirmed dead after a teenage student carried out a shooting at a secondary school near Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday.

Police said the teenager first killed his grandparents with his grandfather’s handgun before going to Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi Province, where he opened fire.

Among those killed in the school attack were three teachers and three students, according to Thailand’s national police.

The suspect, who was also a student at the school, was later confirmed dead.

Authorities have not officially clarified the circumstances surrounding his death, while local media have reported conflicting claims, with some saying he was killed by police and others suggesting he died after the attack.

Dozens of police officers and emergency responders were deployed to the school as parents rushed to pick up their children, while distressed students and staff consoled one another outside the premises.

A student, Pawarisa Maylissa, said she feared for her life during the attack, adding that she heard several gunshots from what appeared to be a floor above her classroom.

“I was afraid that I would die, and I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to pursue my dreams,” she said.

Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said 15 students sustained injuries while trying to escape the scene, though they were not hit by gunfire.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul described the incident as a tragedy that should never have happened.

“It’s such a terrible incident. It should never have happened. How could this happen in our country?” he told reporters at Bangkok’s Government House.

Images released by local media showed the suspect wearing a purple school uniform and carrying a black cross-body bag, with bullet casings seen scattered on the ground.

Mental health workers were also deployed to the school to provide support for affected students, families and staff.

The attack has renewed concerns over gun violence in Thailand, a country with one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia. Estimates suggest there are about 10 million firearms in circulation in the country.

Previous efforts to tighten gun control measures have failed to prevent repeated shootings.

In February, police arrested a teenager who allegedly used a police officer’s gun to kill a school principal and injure two students in southern Thailand.

In one of the country’s deadliest mass killings, an ex-police officer armed with a gun and knife attacked a nursery in northern Thailand in 2022, killing 24 children and 12 adults.

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