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🇦🇺 Australia /Conflict & Security

Thai school shooting: Girl, 12, dies as student attacker kills five before suicide

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A 12-year-old girl died from her wounds after a 14-year-old student opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School near Bangkok, Thailand, killing three teachers and two school officials.
  • The suspect also killed his grandparents at his home before dying by suicide; 14 people remain hospitalized, seven in critical condition, mostly aged 12-14.
  • Students described hiding in classrooms, barricading doors, and turning off lights as gunshots echoed, with one student's mother advising her daughter not to call to avoid revealing their location.

A 12-year-old girl has died in hospital following a tragic shooting incident at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province, northwest of Bangkok, Thailand. The attack, carried out by a 14-year-old student, claimed the lives of three teachers and two school officials.

The suspect's violence began earlier in the morning with the apparent killing of his two grandparents at his family home. He died by suicide after the school shooting. Authorities reported that 14 people remain hospitalized, with seven in critical condition. The majority of those injured are young students, aged between 12 and 14.

I heard multiple gunshots and felt like we weren't going to survive.

— KhimDescribing the initial moments of the shooting from inside her classroom.

Students recounted harrowing experiences of hiding from the gunman. Khim, a 14-year-old student who asked to be identified only by her nickname, described the moments of terror. "I heard multiple gunshots and felt like we weren't going to survive," she told Reuters. Her class barricaded the classroom door with desks, turned off the lights, and huddled together, fearing for their lives.

Mom, don't call me, because the ringtone might go off.

— KhimTelling her mother not to call to avoid alerting the shooter.

During the approximately 40 minutes of chaos, Khim's mother, Kwan, messaged her daughter to warn her about the shooter. Khim, understanding the danger, replied, "Mom, don't call me, because the ringtone might go off." The fear of discovery was palpable as gunshots sounded increasingly close.

As police began securing parts of the school, Khim's class received evacuation orders. However, the shooter had moved to another building where Khim's older sister was hiding. Kwan, desperately trying to guide her elder daughter to safety, counted the shots over the phone, estimating the type of firearm used. She eventually contacted an emergency hotline, where an operator informed her that a specialized police unit had arrived. Hours later, the family was reunited, a fragile moment of relief after an unimaginable ordeal.

Count the shots to see if he's out.

— KwanAdvising her elder daughter on how to gauge the shooter's proximity.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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