Russia school shooting: Seven students and teacher killed in Kazan attack
11 May 2021, 09:05 | Updated: 11 May 2021, 18:34
A gunman has killed seven students and a teacher in an attack at a school in the Russian city of Kazan, with 21 other people in hospital, officials said.
Four boys and three girls, all thought to be aged about 15, died in Tuesday’s shooting, Rustam Minnikhanov, governor of the Tatarstan republic where Kazan is the capital, confirmed.
His press service later said a teacher was also killed.
"The terrorist has been arrested, (he is) 19 years old. A firearm is registered in his name. Other accomplices haven't been established, an investigation is under way," Mr Minnikhanov said after visiting the school.
According to Tatarstan health officials, 21 people were taken to hospital with wounds after the attack, including 18 children, six of whom were in intensive care.
Police have opened a criminal investigation into the shooting.
Some students were able to escape from the building during the attack, while others were trapped inside, according to Russian media.
Children were filmed leaping out of windows to escape, with Russian news agency RIA Novosti reporting that two children died after jumping from a third-floor window.
Dozens of ambulances lined up at the entrance to the school as access to the building was fenced off by police.
Footage posted on social media showed the aftermath of the attack inside the school.
In one clip a student can be heard saying: "We were sitting on the third floor, we had a history lesson.
"Suddenly, in the middle of the lesson, the headmistress starts shouting into the loud speaker so that no one would open their doors.
"The class teacher quickly closed the door and literally five seconds later a big explosion thundered either on the first or on the second floor.
"We stayed together and did not open the door to anyone, but they burst into it – shots were heard, banging on the door, as if someone was trying to knock it out.
"After some time, we heard the riot police and the the deputy head shouted to us to open it. Firefighters came in and took us out."
Authorities said additional security measures were immediately put into place in all schools in Kazan, a city 430 miles east of Moscow.
A national day of mourning will take place on Wednesday to honour the victims of the shooting.
RIA Novosti news agency had earlier reported that 11 people had been killed in the shooting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to families of the victims and those injured in the shooting and ordered the government to revise gun regulations in light of the attack.
Russia's Emergency Ministry has sent a plane with doctors and medical equipment to Kazan.
While school shootings are relatively rare in Russia, there have been several violent attacks on schools in recent years, mostly carried out by students.
