A 12-year-old girl has died from injuries sustained in a school shooting in Thailand, bringing the death toll to nine. The girl, who was critically wounded in the incident, passed away on Saturday, a day after the shooting occurred at the Debsirin Nonthaburi school in Nonthaburi Province. The shooting was carried out by a 14-year-old boy, who allegedly shot his grandparents before opening fire at the school, killing several people and wounding more than 30 others.
The suspect then turned the gun on himself. Fourteen people remain in hospital, with seven in critical condition. Police are investigating the incident and have begun questioning witnesses, including the suspect’s parents.
The suspected attacker used a gun belonging to his grandfather, firing at least 26 bullets and was found with 34 additional ammunition rounds. The incident has prompted Thailand’s prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, to vow to implement new gun laws. The prime minister stated that only government officials on duty would be allowed to carry guns, but did not provide specifics on whether the legislation would tighten gun ownership requirements.
Thailand has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in south-east Asia, and in 2017 the Switzerland-based Small Arms Survey placed the country 13th worldwide for small-gun possession. The country has experienced several mass shootings in recent years, including incidents at schools and a large Bangkok mall, and a 2022 attack that killed 37 people, including 22 children.
