A gunman forced his way into a room where children were sleeping in a nursery in Thailand before opening fire, killing 38 people.
Thailand authorities said that the man, who has been found dead after turning the gun on himself, his wife, and child, and who also used a knife in his attack, is an ex-police officer.
34-year-old Panya Kamrab, who was sacked from the force last year, opened fire on the Nong Bua child development centre in the rural northeastern district of Nong Bua Lamphu on Thursday afternoon, killing staff and children. Around a dozen more people were injured in the attack.
Police say at least 23 children are among the victims, while a heavily pregnant teacher was also among those targeted by the gunman, who entered the building at lunchtime when the young children were having a nap.
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It is understood that Mr Kamrab had expected his own child to be there and became agitated when he found that they were not.
Wielding a knife, he then forced his way into a locked room where the children were sleeping, district official Jidapa Boonsom said. He is also reported to have driven his vehicle into bystanders. A hospital close to the scene of the incident put out an urgent appeal for people to donate blood.
Police initially put out a wanted notice and began a manhunt, before the gunman was found dead. He was reported to have fled the scene in a white Toyota Vigo pickup. Local media reports said he also killed his wife and own child before killing himself.
Police Major General Achayon Kraithong said the shooting happened in the town of Nongbua Lamphu early in the afternoon. He said the attacker killed 30 people before taking his own life. He had no more details.
He is understood to have appeared in court on Thursday morning, on charges relating to a failed drugs test while he was in the police, according to Thai media reports.
Surge In Gun Violence
There has been a surge in gun violence in Thailand in recent times, although mass shootings are rare. Data on website GunPolicy shows that around one in ten people in the country own a gun, although this does not take into account illegal gun ownership. Gun deaths in Thailand are at 3.91 per 100,000, compared to 0.24 in the UK and 10.95 in the US, according to World Population Review.
Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he had ordered the police commander to “fast-track an investigation” into how the tragedy had occurred.
He said;
According to the shocking incident reported in Nong Bua Lamphu this afternoon, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families of the lost and injured.
