Teen kills classmates, teachers, and his grandparents in Thai gun rampage, police say
Teen Kills Classmates, Teachers and His Grandparents in Thai Shooting
Qwenews.com – A teenage gunman went on a rampage at his high school in Thailand on Friday, teen kills classmates teachers and his grandparents in one of the country's deadliest school shootings in recent years. The suspected gunman, 14, stormed the school after allegedly killing his grandmother and grandfather in their home, according to police. At least six people at the school were fatally shot, three of them students and three teachers, police spokesperson Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwphan said.
Chaos Unfolds at Debsirin Nonthaburi School
More than 20 other people were wounded, with nine in a critical condition. The youngest victim was just 12 years old, authorities said. Terrified students huddled together under their desks, sobbing as gunshots rang out nearby, video filmed inside a classroom and verified by CNN showed.
It was total chaos when they arrived at the scene, where they administered first aid to students who had wounds to their back, chest, and arms.
Further video showed students running out of the school as a staff member helped them evacuate. An unnamed rescue worker told the Reuters news agency that "it was total chaos" when they arrived at the scene. Using what police said was his grandfather's handgun, the suspect opened fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, a well-known secondary school of about 3,000 students, located on a busy highway in the Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok.
Gunman Survives Self-Inflicted Wound
While early reports had quoted police saying the suspected gunman had died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Trairong later confirmed he remains in critical condition and doctors are providing emergency treatment. Most of the casualties are teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17, according to the provincial Emergency Operations Center.
This is horrible, it shouldn't have happened, said Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday afternoon, expressing his sadness over the tragedy.
An 18-year-old student told Reuters that he initially thought there were firecrackers going off. "Then it started getting more frequent, like 'bang, bang, bang' and then it went quiet at one point. And the shooting started again," they said.
Concerned parents rushed to the school as news of the shooting spread. The son of CNN's senior travel producer Karla Cripps attends the school but was overseas at the time of the shooting, which began at about 10 a.m. local time.
My son called me from Japan in a panic, telling me that he'd heard there was a shooting at his school. The kids were told to lock down in their classrooms, and he obviously was very upset, Cripps said from outside the school.
Cripps said there was a "really sad atmosphere" at the school as ambulances continue to stream in and out, and parents comfort their children. "My son heard his friend's brother is in the hospital right now. He's among the injured… It's been terrible for everyone." A photo provided to CNN by a police official in Bangkok shows a single handgun and multiple rounds of ammunition scattered on the floor inside the school. Authorities said he had been living with his grandparents rather than with his parents, but they have yet to determine how the boy gained access to the weapon.
Emergency worker Kiatikhun Verapongpradith described performing CPR on the wounded gunman. "We rushed up and found that the perpetrator had shot himself in the right side of the head and collapsed," he told Reuters. "As soon as we saw signs of life, we had the team bring a board to carry him to the hospital." Emergency workers rushed to the scene with stretchers.
In one Reuters photo, one person is seen lying on a stretcher outside an ambulance, while another is attended to by a medic. Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau told CNN the "situation is now under control." Gun ownership in Thailand is high, compared with other countries in Southeast Asia. There were more than 10.3 million civilian-owned firearms in Thailand, or around 15 guns for every 100 people, according to 2017 data from the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey (SAS).
Thailand ranks as the Southeast Asian country with the second-highest number of gun homicides after the Philippines, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington's 2019 Global Burden of Disease database. In February, a teacher died and a student was wounded in southern Thailand's Hat Yai district after a gunman opened fire at a school. In 2022, 36 people were killed, 24 of them children, in a massacre at a childcare center in the northeast, believed to be the country's deadliest incident of its kind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the gunman in the Thai school shooting?
The suspected gunman was a 14-year-old student who allegedly killed his grandparents before storming Debsirin Nonthaburi School. He remains in critical condition after shooting himself in the head.
How many people were killed in the shooting?
At least nine people were killed, including six at the school (three students and three teachers) and the gunman's two grandparents. The youngest victim was 12 years old.
Why is gun ownership significant in Thailand?
Thailand has more than 10.3 million civilian-owned firearms, ranking second in Southeast Asia for gun homicides after the Philippines. This high rate of gun ownership may have contributed to the tragedy.
When did the shooting occur?
The shooting began at approximately 10 a.m. local time on Friday, August 7, 2026, at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in the Bang Kruai district of Nonthaburi province.
CNN's Laura Sharman, Isaac Yee and June Jeong contributed reporting. This is a developing story and will be updated.