Police in Thailand have confirmed that a 12-year-old girl wounded in Friday's school shooting has died, bringing the total number of fatalities to nine. The girl had been hospitalised with critical injuries after the attack at Debsirin Nonthaburi school, northwest of Bangkok, and succumbed to her wounds on Saturday, according to officers at the Plai Bang Police Station in Nonthaburi Province.
Suspect's rampage and immediate aftermath
The suspected attacker, a 14-year-old boy, allegedly shot his grandparents before opening fire at his school, killing multiple people and wounding more than 30 others. He then turned the gun on himself. The incident occurred on Friday, and by Saturday evening, 14 people remained hospitalised, with seven in critical condition, as reported by local authorities.
Police are continuing their investigation, having interviewed 17 witnesses so far, including the suspect's parents. The boy had lived with his grandparents for 12 years after his parents separated, said Atthapol Anusit, deputy commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 1, during a press briefing on Sunday.
Investigation details and evidence
Authorities revealed that the suspected attacker fired at least 26 bullets using a gun that belonged to his grandfather. When he was found, he still had 34 additional rounds of ammunition. Investigators also discovered a knife in his bag, along with spent cartridge cases and a personal computer at the crime scenes.
According to Atthapol, the teenager had shown an interest in studying the use of firearms for one to two years. A teacher had confiscated an air gun from him last year, and he had been watching violent content online and using social media to learn how to use a firearm, police told reporters on Sunday.
School lockdown and response
On the day of the shooting, the suspected shooter remained inside the school after reports of the attack emerged, according to Arsit Sampantharat, permanent secretary of the interior ministry, speaking to PPTV. The school lockdown was lifted in about half an hour. Photographs from the scene showed students fleeing the school, some wearing only socks on their feet as they were evacuated.
Government vows stricter gun laws
Thailand's prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has pledged to introduce new gun legislation, telling reporters that only government officials on duty would be permitted to carry firearms. However, he did not specify details, including whether the laws would tighten gun ownership requirements.
Thailand has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in Southeast Asia, and a 2017 report by the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey ranked the country 13th worldwide for small-gun possession. The nation has experienced several mass shootings in recent years, including a 2022 attack in the northeast that killed 37 people, among them 22 children, and incidents at schools and a major Bangkok shopping mall.
