A 12-year-old girl who was critically wounded during a school shooting in Thailand has passed away, according to officials on Saturday. Her death brings the total number of fatalities from the Friday attack to at least eight people.
The incident occurred around 10 a.m. on Friday at Debsirin Nonthaburi School, located in Nonthaburi province northwest of Bangkok. Authorities stated that a 14-year-old student opened fire at the facility before taking his own life. Investigators believe the teenager also killed his two grandparents at their family home earlier that morning.
The Health Ministry confirmed the girl’s death following her hospitalization. The school had previously utilized social media to request blood donations for two students, including the victim, who was in the seventh grade. Among the eight deceased are five school staff members, including teachers and administrators, the shooter, and his grandparents.
Bangyai Hospital, situated approximately three miles from the school, reported that 23 people were wounded in the attack. As of Saturday, 14 individuals remain hospitalized, with seven in critical condition. Most of the injured are between 12 and 14 years old. Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, head of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, noted that most victims suffered single fatal gunshot wounds to vital areas like the chest or head.
The weapon involved was a small, compact firearm legally registered to the shooter’s grandfather. While reports have circulated regarding the boy experiencing school-related stress, some relatives informed local media that they were unaware of any specific personal difficulties he was facing. Forensic experts are currently conducting further analysis, including toxicology screenings.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as students sought cover. Amporn Niamfuang, who operates a nearby restaurant, recalled hearing a single gunshot followed by a pause. “And then there were multiple continuous shots,” she said, describing students fleeing the area in terror. The school, which serves approximately 3,000 students aged 12 to 18, has suspended classes through August 14.
Mourners have begun leaving flowers at the school gates. Charin Siriananchai, a local resident, visited the site with his two sons to pay his respects. “Everyone was saddened and shocked, because it was unexpected that this would happen in Thailand, and also it’s quite a great loss,” he remarked. Other parents have returned to the campus to retrieve belongings left behind during the evacuation.
The incident has prompted renewed discussion regarding firearm accessibility in the region. Data from 2017 by Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org indicated that civilian gun ownership in Thailand is approximately 15.1 guns per 100 people, a rate significantly higher than in neighboring Malaysia. According to 2023 statistics from the World Population Review, Thailand recorded 3.49 firearm-related deaths per 100,000 people.
Relatives have begun claiming the bodies of the victims from the Institute of Forensic Medicine to transport them to their hometowns for funeral rites. The body of the 12-year-old girl is still awaiting release as the investigation continues.
A 12-year-old girl who sustained critical wounds at a school shooting outside Bangkok on Friday has died, officials said Saturday, bringing the death toll from the attack to at least 8 people.
He said the gunshot wound found on the alleged shooter was consistent with the weapon he had used.
More detailed forensic findings, including toxicology results, are expected later, he said.
Earlier reports gave conflicting casualty numbers.
Emergency workers brought out a coffin and loaded it onto an ambulance, which will transport the bodies to their hometowns for funeral rites.
A witness said students hid inside a classroom while they heard gunshots from another building before police officers knocked on the door and cleared a way for them to leave the building.
Amporn Niamfuang, who owns a restaurant 160 feet from the school, said there was the sound of a single gunshot and then a pause.
“Students were running scared and pouring onto the street.
Young girls were holding each other’s hands and crying.
A few mourners laid flowers Saturday morning at the school’s gate, where police officers could be seen.
Charin Siriananchai brought his two sons, ages 9 and 6, to pay their respects.
He said while his sons do not study here, he lives in the neighborhood and drives past this school almost every day, often stopping to allow students to cross the road.
A father, who declined to identify himself, said his son, who was at the school during the shooting, was still in shock and could not sleep alone.
That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, but relatively high in Asia.
