Thailand School Shooting Leaves Seven Dead, 23 Injured

At least seven people were killed and 23 others injured after a 14-year-old student opened fire at his home and school near Bangkok, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said. The attacker, a student at Debsirin School in Nonthaburi, killed his grandparents before shooting five teachers and later turning the gun on himself. Nine of the injured remain in critical condition.

The shooting began shortly after 10 a.m. local time, prompting police to respond to the school as students and staff fled the area. One seventh-grade girl told the BBC she was standing in front of her teacher when the gunman shot her. She said she escaped by climbing over a school fence with other students. Another student told Reuters he initially mistook the repeated gunshots for firecrackers.

Police chief Gen. Kittiratt Phanphet said forensic officers found that the gunman fired with considerable accuracy, with several bullets striking vital parts of the victims’ bodies. Authorities said the attack appeared to be “well prepared” and had “clear steps and clear goals.” Police have not disclosed a motive and are investigating, while the gunman’s divorced parents were later questioned. Officers also removed computer equipment and other items from the home he shared with his grandparents.

• The incident, Thailand’s second school shooting this year, has renewed calls for tougher gun controls. Although Thailand has strict laws on firearm possession, enforcement remains a concern, with an estimated 40% of civilian guns believed to be illegal. Anutin pledged to introduce new firearms legislation that would restrict public carrying of guns, saying only government officials on duty would be permitted to carry them under the proposed law.