The death toll from a school shooting in Reuters rose to nine on Saturday after a 12-year-old girl caught up in the incident succumbed to her injuries. Police at the Plai Bang Police Station in Nonthaburi Province stated that the seventh-grade student died at the hospital a day after the attack.
Tragic Toll Rises Following Attack at Thai School
The incident began on Friday morning when a 14-year-old boy allegedly shot his two grandparents at his family home before traveling to cbsnews.com. The co-educational state school, located in the Bang Kruai district on the northwestern outskirts of Bangkok, enrolls approximately 3,000 students aged 12 to 18. Witnesses reported that the armed suspect wore a purple tracksuit and fired dozens of shots throughout the campus before turning the gun on himself.
Relatives subsequently claimed the bodies of eight people from Bangkok’s Institute of Forensic Medicine, including five school staff members, the shooter, and his grandparents. Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, head of the institute, noted that most victims suffered a single fatal gunshot wound to a vital area such as the chest or head, and that the wound on the alleged shooter matched the recovered weapon.
Hospitalizations, Investigation, and School Closures
According to the Ministry of Public Health, 14 people remained hospitalized as of Saturday afternoon, with seven in critical condition. Earlier medical reports indicated that dozens of people sustained wounds during the rampage, mostly individuals between the ages of 12 and 14.
Authorities recovered a handgun at the scene that initial information suggested belonged to the grandfather of the alleged shooter, along with a large quantity of ammunition found inside the suspect’s bag. Thai police summoned several students and teachers on Saturday to investigate the gunman’s motive and the source of the ammunition. Investigators examining the suspect’s computer discovered that he had searched and studied an American school shooting case. A friend of the gunman confirmed that the teenager had been under great pressure recently, made thorough preparations, and posted photos of the weapon on social media.
In response to the tragedy, Debsirin Nonthaburi School announced that all classes would be suspended from August 10 to August 14, with staff instructed to work from home. Mourners gathered outside the school gates to lay flowers and pay their respects.
Gun Control Proposals and Regional Context
Hours after the shooting on Friday, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowed to introduce a new firearms control law. Anutin, who previously tightened gun regulations while serving as interior minister, stated that he would propose legislation to restrict the carrying of firearms by the public.
The new law will only allow government officials on duty to carry guns,
Anutin told reporters on Friday, though he did not provide specifics regarding whether the policy would tighten overall gun ownership requirements.
Data collected in 2017 by the Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org estimated civilian gun ownership in channelnewsasia.com at approximately 15.1 guns per 100 people, representing one of the highest rates in Asia. While indiscriminate mass shootings are uncommon in the country, the nation has experienced high-profile shooting incidents in recent years, including a 2023 shopping mall shooting involving a 14-year-old boy and a 2024 high school hostage incident.
