KAZAN: At least seven children and a teacher were killed today (Tuesday) after a teenage gunman opened fire in a school in Russia’s Kazan city, according to local authorities.
At least 18 more children have been hospitalized and 6 are in critical condition, regional health authorities have told Russian state media. Meanwhile, police claimed that they have detained the alleged shooter, a 19 year-old man, at the school.
Earlier, it was reported that there were two gunmen, but local authorities have since denied that and said he acted alone. Russia’s Investigative Committee has said it has opened a criminal case into the shooting.
Two children could be seen leaping from the third floor of the four-storey School Number 175 to escape as gunshots rang out, in a video filmed by Russia’s news agency “It’s a great tragedy. We have lost seven children, four boys, three girls. They died here on the third floor,” Tatarstan’s president, Rustam Minnikhanov told reporters.
Footage posted on social media showed a young man being pinned to the ground outside the school building by a police officer. Russian media have found a channel on the Telegram messenger supposedly created by the alleged shooter a few days ago.
President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to the victims of the attack and has ordered Russia’s government to immediately begin work on tightening regulations around gun ownership, according to a Kremlin spokesman.
