A 14-year-old opened fire at a home and a school near Bangkok on Tuesday, killing seven people, including his grandparents and five teachers. The attacker targeted the Debsirin School, one of Thailand's prominent secondary institutions.
Details emerged of the harrowing events as students described the unfolding violence. One seventh-grade student, still in her school uniform, recounted being in front of her teacher when the gunman appeared and fired. "She was talking to me when [the gunman] showed up and shot her," the student told the BBC. "I couldn't see anything but a [cloud] of dust." Another student initially mistook the gunshots for firecrackers.
The violence began at the teenager's home, where he killed his grandparents before proceeding to the school. Authorities confirmed the deaths of five teachers at the school. Students and staff were seen fleeing the premises as police cordoned off the area, urging people to stay away and those trapped inside to hide.
The Debsirin School, founded in Bangkok in 1885, has a history of educating prominent Thai figures, including diplomats, athletes, and prime ministers. IMAGE1 Police surround the school where the shooting occurred, which is taped off. IMAGE2 A map shows the school marked on the map in Nonthaburi, west of Bangkok.