Thailand school shooting: At least seven killed, 15 injured, including students and teachers, after gunman opened fire

A student opened fire on Friday (local time), killing at least three teachers and three students and injuring several others at a high school in Thailand's northern Bangkok region, police said.

Royal Thai Police spokesperson Trairong Piwpan told news agency AP that the incident occurred in the Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province, northwest of the national capital.

Here's what we know

The official later told news broadcaster Channel 3 that the shooter was being hospitalised in serious condition and 15 others were injured, including two in critical condition. The shooter's condition remains unverified, with different news outlets reporting conflicting accounts.

Further, the official said the casualty numbers remain fluid as officials responded to the attack, with several people reportedly suffering "serious injuries."

Trairong Piwpan also noted that the motive behind the attack is still being investigated, adding that the gun was believed to have been taken from a member of the student's family.

According to a Reuters report, the suspect also killed his grandparents at their home on Friday before opening fire at the school on Bangkok's outskirts, police said, adding that he opened 26 rounds, and another 34 rounds of ammunition were found at the scene.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed his condolences and said he had ordered relevant officials to take care of the victims. Speaking to reporters, he said, "It’s a terrible tragedy. This should never have happened."

Images shared by emergency responders showed students leaving Debsirin Nonthaburi School, located on the northwestern outskirts of Bangkok, as ambulances arrived at the scene. One photograph showed a person being carried on a stretcher outside an ambulance, while another showed a person receiving medical attention from a medic.

Students recall horror

One 18-year-old student told Reuters that he initially thought firecrackers were going off or someone was banging an object. He said, "I didn't think it was a gun at first," and added, "There were many shots: bang bang bang. Then it went quiet. Then it started again."

Another witness told reporters that students took shelter inside a classroom after hearing gunshots from another building, before police officers arrived, knocked on the door and helped them evacuate, AP reported.

Thailand's gun-related violence on the surge

The incident comes months after a teacher died and a student was injured when a gunman opened fire at a school in Thailand's southern Hat Yai district in February.

Thailand has one of the highest levels of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia, with gun-related violence more prevalent than in several neighboring nations. However, shootings at schools remain uncommon.

The country has witnessed several deadly mass shootings in recent years. These include a 2020 rampage by a soldier at a shopping mall in Nakhon Ratchasima that killed around 30 people, a 2022 attack at a daycare centre that claimed dozens of children's lives, and a 2023 shooting at Bangkok's Siam Paragon mall that left three people dead.

(with agency inputs)