Russian Officials say Seven children and a teacher have been killed in a shooting at a school in the Russian city of Kazan.
More than 20 others, mostly children, were reportedly wounded. A 19-year-old suspect was detained.
The attack happened 820km east of Moscow, in the mainly Muslim republic of Tatarstan.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin spoke of “great sorrow”, while Tatarstan’s leader Rustam Minnikhanov described the attack as a “major tragedy”.
Responding to the shooting, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would review the country’s gun control laws.
Reports over the number of deaths varied, but officials said at least seven children had died. Many more were wounded and taken to hospital.
A teenager was detained after the attack at the school, located some 820km (510 miles) east of Moscow in the mainly Muslim republic of Tatarstan.
Responding to the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would review Russia’s gun control laws.
The shooting happened at School No. 175 on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.
Heavily armed police and emergency vehicles responded to the incident.
Footage shared on social media showed some children jumping from windows to escape as well as injured people being evacuated. Russian TV reported that two of the children died after jumping from a second-floor window.
A student who witnessed the attack described what happened to Russian news website Mediazona.
“Everyone started panicking and saying ‘shut the doors’. About a minute later the head teacher started yelling: ‘We’re shutting the doors!’
“We got out about 15 minutes later, not out of the windows. I wanted to do that, but the teacher closed the window immediately and said no,” he said.
Reports initially said that there were two gunmen and that one of them had been killed. But officials later said there was only one suspect.
So far, Officials have confirmed eight deaths.
Mr Minnikhanov said the victims included four male and three female eighth-grade students. His press service later added that a teacher was also killed.
He told reporters outside the school that, in addition to the fatalities, 12 children and four adults were being treated in hospital. Six children are said to be in a critical condition.
“The terrorist has been arrested. He’s 19. He’s a registered firearm owner,” he said.
One video on social media captured a teenager lying on the ground apparently being detained outside the building.
Following the attack, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Putin had ordered the chief of Russia’s National Guard to “work out as a matter of urgency new regulations on the types of weapon that can be in civilian circulation and that can be owned by the public”.
Local media reports said security forces in Kazan were searching apartments in the block where the suspected shooter lived, while the entrances to schools in the area were cordoned off.
BBCNews
