A 14-year-old student allegedly shot dead his grandparents before opening fire at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on Friday morning, leaving nine people dead and at least 22 others injured in one of Thailand’s worst school shooting incidents. Authorities are continuing to investigate what drove the teenager to carry out the attack.
The attack
The shooting began at around 10:00 on 7 August at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi province.
Teachers rushed to evacuate students as gunfire echoed through the campus. Students fled buildings while others locked themselves inside classrooms as police, rescue workers and tactical officers responded to the scene.
Officers from Arintharaj 26 and Provincial Police Region 1 secured the school while emergency medical teams treated victims and rushed the injured to nearby hospitals.
Death toll and injuries
Authorities confirmed nine fatalities:
- Five teachers
- The 14-year-old suspect, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound
- One student
- The suspect’s grandfather
- The suspect’s grandmother
At least 22 people were injured. Nine remained in critical condition, including two teachers and seven students, according to officials. Victims were taken to Phra Nangklao Hospital and other nearby medical facilities.
Grandparents found dead
As police investigated the school shooting, officers searched the suspect’s home in Bang Bua Thong district.
There they found the bodies of the teenager’s grandfather and grandmother, both with gunshot wounds to the head.
Deputy Interior Minister Phonphir Suwannachawi said investigators believe the teenager killed his grandparents before travelling to school. The suspect had been living with them because his parents had separated when he was young.
The weapon
Officials said the handgun used in the attack was legally registered to the suspect’s grandfather, a retired teacher.
Investigators believe the teenager removed the firearm from a locked cabinet at home before the attack. Police are still investigating how he gained access to it.
According to investigators, the suspect took about 98 rounds of ammunition from the house. Officers later recovered a large quantity of ammunition from his school bag. More than 30 rounds remained when the attack ended.
What happened inside the school?
Investigators believe the student attended his first class as normal before drawing the handgun.
According to the preliminary investigation, his first victim was a mathematics teacher who had substituted for another teacher. He then moved through the school, firing at teachers and students before police surrounded the campus.
Authorities said the suspect died after shooting himself before officers reached him.
Survivors describe the chaos
A Grade 12 student said he initially mistook the gunshots for bird scarers.
After another student shouted that a teacher had been shot, he and his classmates locked their classroom door, switched off the lights and pushed desks and chairs against the entrance.
The class remained hidden for nearly 30 minutes until police entered the building and told them it was safe to leave.
The student said he had learned emergency survival techniques from online videos, which helped him react quickly during the attack. His classroom escaped unharmed after the gunman walked past without entering.
A school janitor who witnessed part of the attack said the gunman appeared calm as he walked between buildings carrying the handgun, showing no signs of panic even after police arrived.
What investigators have found
Police are examining the suspect’s computer and online activity.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said preliminary findings suggested the teenager may have been under academic stress and had carefully planned the attack.
Investigators found evidence that he had researched previous mass shootings in the United States in the days before the attack. Authorities also said he had posted a photograph of the handgun on social media during the Songkran holiday.
However, officials stressed that the motive has not been confirmed and remains under investigation.
What teachers and relatives said
The boyfriend of one of the teachers killed in the shooting said they had embraced before she left for work that morning, as they did every day.
Relatives described the teacher as kind and caring, saying she was well-liked by students and never used harsh discipline. Family members also said teachers at the school knew the suspect had special educational needs and took care to avoid upsetting him, while cautioning that the motive for the attack remains unclear.
Government response
Prime Minister Anutin visited the school on Friday afternoon and said the attack was a tragedy that had shocked the country.
He ordered police to step up nationwide inspections for illegal firearm possession and said authorities would review security measures at schools and other public places.
The prime minister also pledged financial assistance and long-term support for the families of those killed and injured through existing government compensation programmes.