At least seven killed in Thailand school shooting

A school shooting in Nonthaburi, on the northwestern outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, resulted in the deaths of seven people, including the suspected gunman, and left 15 others wounded. The Royal Thai Police confirmed the casualties following the incident on Friday.

Thai newspaper Khaosod reported that three students and three teachers were among the fatalities. The suspected gunman, believed to be a student at the school, was later found dead. Footage aired by Thai broadcasters appeared to show the suspect moving through a school hallway, while social media videos depicted students fleeing classrooms, seeking shelter under desks, and climbing out windows.

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It’s a terrible tragedy. This should never have happened.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed deep sadness, calling the event a "terrible tragedy" that "should never have happened." An 18-year-old student recounted hearing what he initially thought were firecrackers before realizing it was gunfire, describing multiple volleys of shots followed by silence and then more shooting.

Thailand has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia, and gun violence is more common than in many neighboring countries. However, school shootings are relatively infrequent. The nation has experienced several high-profile mass shootings in recent years, including a 2020 attack at a mall in Nakhon Ratchasima that killed approximately 30 people, a 2022 attack on a daycare center that resulted in dozens of child fatalities, and a 2023 shooting at Bangkok's Siam Paragon shopping mall that claimed three lives.

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I didn’t think it was a gun at first. There were many shots: bang bang bang. Then it went quiet. Then it started again.