A seventh grader described the harrowing moment a 14-year-old gunman opened fire at Debsirin School near Bangkok, killing five teachers and injuring more than a dozen people before taking his own life. The student recounted climbing over a fence to escape the violence.
The shooting highlights ongoing concerns about gun violence and control in Thailand, a country with a high rate of gun ownership, and raises questions about the safety of educational institutions.
A 14-year-old boy opened fire at Debsirin School in Nonthaburi, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday morning, killing five teachers and injuring more than a dozen people before turning the weapon on himself. The gunman had earlier killed his grandparents.
A seventh-grade student recounted the harrowing experience, stating she was standing in front of her teacher when the gunman appeared and that she had to climb over the school fence to escape with friends. Her mother said the girl believed she might die.
Another student initially mistook the gunshots for firecrackers, describing multiple volleys of shots before a period of silence, followed by more shooting.
This incident is Thailand's deadliest mass shooting in years and the second at a school this year. Previous mass shootings in Thailand, including one at a nursery in 2019 that killed 37 people, have raised questions about gun control in the country.
While Thailand has restrictions on gun ownership, guns can still be acquired legally or illegally with relative ease, contributing to one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Southeast Asia. The motive for the shooting is not yet clear, though police believe the 9mm handgun used belonged to the shooter's grandfather, who was a teacher. Some reports suggest the shooter was a good student and an avid gamer.
An opposition leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People's Party, called for a serious and systematic review of gun control measures in Thailand following the incident.