Accused Thai school shooter had watched violent content online, police say

Teen learned firearm use on social media; education ministry to roll out new safety protocols within three months

The Thai teen behind a deadly school shooting outside Bangkok had an air gun confiscated by a teacher last year and had watched violent content online, police said on Sunday, as the government promised new safety protocols for schools.

As investigations continued into Friday's rampage, where a 14-year-old boy allegedly shot dead his grandparents at home before killing another six people at his school before turning the gun on himself, police said the boy had used social media to learn how to use a firearm.

"According to witness interviews, the perpetrator had begun showing interest in studying the use of firearms for some time, about one to two years," Atthapol Anusit, deputy commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 1, told reporters.

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Atthapol, who said police had so far interviewed 17 witnesses, said a knife had also been found in the boy's bag and other evidence found at the crime scenes included a firearm, spent cartridge cases, and a personal computer.

"After examining the PC, it was found that the child had watched social media content involving violence," the deputy commissioner said, but added there was no evidence yet that he had practiced shooting.

He said that last year a teacher had confiscated a BB gun, a type of air gun, that the boy took to school. The boy had lived with his grandparents for 12 years after his parents had separated, Atthapol said.

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The Ministry of Education said it would develop new safety protocols over the next three months, including mental health screenings and a system to refer at-risk people to specialists, drills for emergency response plans, a drive to stamp out bullying and better detection to stop items from being taken into schools.

Along with those who died, more than 20 people were injured in Thailand's worst mass shooting since 2022, which has reignited debate over firearms control in Southeast Asia's largest gun owning nation.