14-Year-Old Girl Shoots Classmates at Russian School, Killing One and Then Herself
A tragic school shooting occurred at a secondary school in the city of Bryansk, Russia, near the Ukraine border on Thursday. A 14-year-old girl brought a pump-action shotgun to school and used it to shoot a classmate, killing her, before injuring five others and then taking her own life. The attacker’s motives are still being established, as well as how she obtained the weapon.
Authorities have not released the name of the attacker, but she has been identified by Russian media only as “Alina.” Footage filmed by pupils showed chaotic scenes of terrified children screaming and the sound of a loud explosion. Students were seen barricading themselves inside a classroom as the tragedy unfolded.
The governor of the Bryansk region, Alexander Bogomaz, described the incident as a “terrible tragedy” and expressed his condolences to the parents of the victim who died at the hands of the shooter. Five minors were wounded, with one in serious condition and taken to Moscow for treatment.
The shooting took place in Bryansk’s Gymnasium Number Five, a secondary school in the city’s suburbs. The incident has sparked concern in Russia, with authorities pointing to recent attacks as evidence of the need for tighter gun control laws.
This tragic event is the latest in a series of fatal attacks at educational facilities in Russia in recent years, prompting the government to take steps to tighten already strict gun laws. President Vladimir Putin has expressed concern over these incidents, attributing them to a US influence.
In response to the Bryansk attack, the Kremlin has vowed to investigate why existing measures failed to prevent the tragedy. The shooting has once again raised questions about school safety and gun control in Russia, as the country grapples with the aftermath of this senseless act of violence.
