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Thailand teen killed grandparents at home before deadly school shooting: Police
Police said the suspected shooter, who was identified as a student at the school, died by suicide after killing three students and three teachers there.
A student suspected of carrying out the deadly school shooting in Thailand on Friday first shot dead his grandparents at their home before attacking his school near Bangkok, police said, revealing new details about the attack.
Apart from the shooter's grandparents, three students and three teachers were killed in the attack. According to police, the teen shooter, who was identified as a student at the school, died after turning the gun on himself.
Gunman first killed grandparents
Thai police said the gunman fatally shot his grandparents at their residence before heading to the school in Nonthaburi province, northwest of Bangkok, where he opened fire on students and teachers.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the motive behind both attacks. Police believe the firearm used in the shooting was taken from a member of the student's family.
What happened at the school?
The shooting triggered panic at Debsirin Nonthaburi School as students fled the campus while ambulances rushed the wounded to hospitals. Teachers were seen hugging one another and breaking down in tears outside the school.
An 18-year-old student told Reuters he initially mistook the sound of gunfire for firecrackers.
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"I didn't think it was a gun at first," he said. "There were many shots: bang bang bang. Then it went quiet. Then it started again."
Emergency workers said several victims suffered gunshot wounds to the chest, back and arms.
Teachers and students among those killed
Thailand's education minister Prasert Jantararuangtong confirmed that both teachers and students were among those killed.
Emergency responder Kiatikhun Verapongpradith said his team reached the school while the shooting was still underway.
He said rescuers found a male teacher dead on an upper floor of the school. In another room, they found a female teacher with gunshot wounds to her chest and arm.
"We gave CPR for about 30 minutes and rushed her to the hospital as we could not get her heart rate up, but we tried our best," he said.
Police said 15 people were injured, with local broadcaster Channel 3 reporting that two remain in critical condition.
The school had around 3,100 students and 147 teachers during the 2025 academic year, according to district authorities.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed condolences to the victims' families and said he had directed officials to provide assistance. Deputy Education Minister Akkharanan Kannakittinan also said authorities were coordinating support for those affected.
Witnesses describe terrifying moments
Images from the scene showed students and teachers gathered outside the school as police secured the campus.
One witness told local media that students hid inside a classroom after hearing gunshots from another building. They remained there until police officers escorted them to safety.
Thailand's second school shooting this year
Friday's attack was the second school shooting reported in Thailand this year.
In February, a 17-year-old stole a firearm from police and opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, killing a teacher, injuring a student and briefly taking hostages.
Thailand has experienced several deadly mass shootings in recent years, including a Bangkok market shooting in 2025 that killed five people, a 2023 shooting at a luxury Bangkok shopping mall, and the 2022 daycare centre massacre in northeastern Thailand in which 36 people, including 22 children, were killed.
