A shooting at a preschool in rural northeast Thailand has killed at least 35 people. According to a Thai police statement quoted by international media, there are at least 24 children and 11 adults among the dead, including the gunman’s wife and son. There are still at least 15 injured, eight of whom are in serious condition, police said.
The assailant, a 34-year-old former police officer whose photo was released by police, used firearms and stabbed children and adults and fled.
According to AFP, after the attack, the man fled and continued firing from the car, hitting several people in the street. Shortly after, he ended up committing suicide, information however confirmed by the authorities.
Local media report that the shooting took place in the afternoon in Na Klang district of Nong Bua Lamphu province, at a time when children were sleeping.
According to Reuters, citing the police, three of the children who were victims of this attack are two years old. According to police, the shooter had been at a court hearing for a drug-related charge. It was also for this reason that he was suspended from the police about a year ago.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha described the shooting as a “shocking” event and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
Local authorities called on the population to donate blood. The nursery is located in the city of Uthai Sawan, in the province of Nong Bua Lamphu, about 200 kilometers northeast of the Thai capital, Bangkok.
News of the attack quickly spread across the country, sparking scenes of despair and anguish in Uthai Sawan, a rural town of about 80,000 people.
Dozens of relatives of the victims went to the nursery, which was cordoned off by the police, in search of information about the events and the identity of the victims.
Some of the desperate mothers had to receive medical attention, while others were comforted by other residents, according to images shared on social networks by witnesses, cited by international organizations.
One of the kindergarten teachers described the terrifying moments, stating that the attacker “shot, broke glass and killed” adults and children.
Such attacks are rare in Thailand, but in February 2020, an army officer killed 29 people after arguing with a superior.
News updated at 13:37
Source: TSF
