School Shooting in Russia Kills at Least 9

  • By Matt Jones
  • May 11, 2021

A mass shooting at a Russian school has left at least nine dead and 20 injured. At School No. 175 in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia, about 500 miles east of Moscow, a gunman opened fire on Tuesday morning before being taken into police custody. The suspect has been identified as 19-year-old Ilnaz Galyaviyev.

Out of those killed, seven were eighth-grade students and two were adults. At least 21 were hospitalized, including 18 children, and six were left in critical condition. The majority of children injured were between 7 and 15 years old, regional health authorities said.

“It’s a great tragedy,” said Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov. “We have lost seven children—four boys, three girls. They died here on the third floor.” A teacher and another woman at the school were killed, as well, he said.

According to ABC News, videos show students flooding out of the school, jumping from high windows against the backdrop of gunfire, climbing down fire ladders, and lying on the grass outside the school covered in blood. Police and emergency workers responded immediately. Students also gave reports of locking themselves in their third-floor classrooms upon hearing gunfire and explosions. Several related that the suspect attempted to break down their classroom doors.

“He sort of started to smash the door,” a student named Adelya told a Russian news source. “Then the police came into the corridor. He ran and started shooting, and a bullet hit our door.”

The presumed suspect, Galyaviyev, is a former student of the school, having graduated four years ago. He attended college in Kazan but dropped out in April, the college told Russian news site RBC. Officials say he received a gun license last month for a semi-automatic shotgun, the weapon used in the attack.

The event is already one of the deadliest school shootings in Russian history, according to ABC News. President Vladimir Putin offered condolences to the victims and their families and also tasked authorities with re-examining national gun regulations.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

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