A former student allegedly opened fire inside a school in the Russian city of Kazan Tuesday morning, killing at least one teacher and seven eighth-graders, according to local officials.
Rustam Minnikhanov, governor of the Tatarstan republic where Kazan is the capital, said four boys, three girls and a single adult died during the mass shooting, which unfolded about 500 miles east of Moscow. Another 21 people, 18 of them children, were rushed to the hospital in wake of the violent attack, the cause of which is still unknown.
Video taken on the scene shows students fleeing from the building, some of them leaping from second- and third- story windows.
“The terrorist has been arrested, (he is) 19 years old. A firearm is registered in his name,” Minnikhanov said after visiting the school. “Other accomplices haven’t been established, an investigation is underway.”
Initial reports suggested there were two gunmen and that one of them had been killed amid the chaos — but officials later said there was only a single suspect.
According to Russian media, the suspected shooter once attended the school he targeted and referred to himself as “God” on a messaging app. He also used the platform to threaten to “kill a large amount of biomass” the same morning of the shooting, reportedly prompting his account to be become blocked.
According to officials the teen shooter obtained his gun license less than two weeks ago.
The deadly shooting on Tuesday also drew a response from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who offered his condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded. He also ordered Victor Zolotov, head of Russia’s National Guard, to revise regulations on the types of weapons allowed for civilian use in light of the attack.
In Russia, where schools shooting are a rarity, gun laws are considered to be fairly strict when compared to others around the world. Potential firearm owners are required to pass psychological exams to purchase firearms for hunting and other sports. It’s also illegal for Russians to own guns that shoot in bursts or have magazines with more than a 10-cartridge capacity.
With News Wire Services
