Thailand School Shooting Death Toll Rises to Nine

The death toll from a school shooting in Thailand has risen to nine, including a 12-year-old girl, following a tragic incident at a Nonthaburi school.

The death toll from a school shooting in Thailand has tragically risen to nine after police confirmed that a 12-year-old girl, who had been receiving treatment for critical injuries, passed away. This grim update came on Saturday, a day following the incident where a 14-year-old boy allegedly shot his grandparents before turning the gun on fellow students at Debsirin Nonthaburi school, located northwest of Bangkok.

The information from the Plai Bang Police Station indicated that the shooter had inflicted injuries on more than 30 individuals during the attack, with 14 victims still hospitalized as of Saturday evening, seven of whom are in critical condition. The police are actively questioning witnesses, which includes the suspect’s parents, to gather more details about the harrowing event.

Atthapol Anusit, the deputy commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 1, noted that the teenager had been living with his grandparents for 12 years following his parents’ separation. It was reported that the suspected assailant fired at least 26 bullets from a firearm that belonged to his grandfather and had an additional 34 rounds of ammunition in his possession when he was apprehended.

Furthermore, police revealed that the teenager previously had an air gun confiscated by a teacher, and he had been watching violent content online and learning about firearms through social media. “According to witness interviews, the perpetrator had begun showing interest in studying the use of firearms for some time, about one to two years,” Atthapol stated.

On the day of the shooting, it was reported that the teenager remained on the school grounds despite the chaos that ensued as news of the attack quickly spread. Images depicted students fleeing the school barefoot, as a lockdown was declared, which lasted for approximately half an hour.

In the wake of this tragic event, Thailand’s Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has expressed intentions to implement stricter gun laws, stating that only government officials on duty would be permitted to carry firearms. However, specifics about these legislative changes remain unclear, particularly regarding potential adjustments to current gun ownership laws.

Notably, Thailand has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia and, as of 2017, was ranked 13th worldwide for small-gun possession according to a report from the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey. This incident is not an isolated one; Thailand has witnessed several mass shootings in recent years including a catastrophic attack in the country’s northeast that claimed 37 lives, including those of 22 children.