How Thai teenager carried out a deadly school shooting after killing his grandparents

A 14-year-old boy killed seven people and wounded 23 others in a school shooting in Nonthaburi province, Thailand, before taking his own life. According to VnExpress International, the boy first killed his grandparents at their home, then travelled to Debsirin Nonthaburi School, where he was a student, and killed two teachers and three other school staff. Channel News Asia reported that the boy used his grandfather's gun to carry out the attack, firing 26 rounds.

The motive behind the attack is not fully clear, but Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that "academic stress" appeared to be a key factor, citing that the boy's grandmother, a teacher, was strict about his studies. The incident has put fresh pressure on Thailand's gun laws, with the prime minister vowing to introduce new legislation to restrict the carrying of firearms in public.

The attack is one of several mass shootings in Thailand in recent years, and it has raised concerns about the country's high rate of civilian gun ownership. According to Punch Nigeria, there are an estimated 40% of guns in civilian possession in Southeast Asia, with around 10.3 million firearms owned by civilians, and four million of those believed to be owned illegally, as reported by BBC World. The government has announced plans to provide mental health support to teachers and students following the shooting.

Brief written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia, VnExpress International, Punch Nigeria, BBC World — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.