A gunman has opened fire at a school in central Russia, killing 15 people and wounding 24 others before shooting himself, authorities said.
The shooting took place at school no. 88 from Izhevsk, a city 960 kilometers east of Moscow in the Udmurtia region.
Russia’s Investigative Committee identified the gunman as Artyom Kazantsev, 34, a graduate of the same school, and said he was wearing a black T-shirt with “Nazi symbols.”
A gunman opened fire, killing at least 13 people and wounding 21 others at the school in Izhevsk, central Russia. (AP)
No details about his motives have been released.
The Committee said 15 people, including 11 children, were killed in the shooting and 24 others, including 22 children, were injured in the attack.
Udmurtia Governor Alexander Brechalov said the gunman, who he said was registered as a patient at a psychiatric facility, committed suicide after the attack.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the shooting “a terrorist act” and said Russian President Vladimir Putin has given all the necessary orders to the relevant authorities.
“President Putin deeply mourns the death of people and children at the school, where a terrorist act took place,” Peskov told reporters on Monday.
The Russian Investigative Committee shared images of ammunition on a classroom table at the scene of a shooting. (AP) In this image taken from a video released by the Russian Investigative Committee, ammunition is seen on a table at the scene of a school shooting. (AP)
The school educates children between grades 1 and 11. She has been evacuated and the area has been cordoned off, the governor said.
Russia’s National Guard said Kazantsev used two non-lethal pistols adapted to fire live bullets. The weapons were not registered with the authorities.
A criminal investigation into the incident has been opened for multiple murder and illegal possession of firearms.
Police cordon off an area as investigators and paramedics work at the scene of a shooting at School No. 88 of Izhevsk, Russia. (AP)
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Izhevsk, a city of 640,000, is located west of the Ural Mountains in central Russia.