The death toll from Friday’s shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi school in Nonthaburi province rose to nine on Saturday after a 12-year-old girl died in hospital, police said.
The girl had been critically wounded in the attack, which police say involved a 14-year-old boy who allegedly shot his grandparents before killing more people at the school and then turning the gun on himself.
At a glance:
- More than 30 people were wounded in the shooting northwest of Bangkok.
- Fourteen people remained in hospital on Saturday evening, including seven in critical condition.
- Police said the suspected attacker fired at least 26 bullets and had 34 additional rounds of ammunition.
- The suspect allegedly used a gun belonging to his grandfather.
What happened at the school
Police at Plai Bang Police Station said the suspected attacker remained inside the school after reports of the shooting emerged. A lockdown was declared and ended after about half an hour, according to Arsit Sampantharat, the permanent secretary of Thailand’s interior ministry.
Related coverage: Thailand school shooting leaves teacher dead and four injured.
Images from the scene showed students being evacuated while wearing only socks. Police are questioning more witnesses, including the suspect’s parents, as the investigation continues.
Government response and gun-law pledge
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has vowed to introduce new gun laws after the shooting. He told reporters that only government officials on duty would be allowed to carry guns.
The prime minister did not give details of the proposed legislation, including whether it would tighten gun-ownership requirements. The source notes that Thailand has a high rate of civilian gun ownership in south-east Asia and that the Small Arms Survey ranked the country 13th worldwide for small-gun possession in 2017.
More context: Families collect victims’ bodies after Thailand school shooting.
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