The death toll reported after a shooting at a Russian school rose to 13 on Monday. This was announced by the national investigative committee, including 7 children and 6 adults. The perpetrator also killed himself, as confirmed by the region’s Interior Ministry.
Nine deaths had previously been reported, including at least two teachers and two security guards. The Interior Ministry of the Udmurt Republic initially spoke of 6 dead and 20 injured in the city of Izhevsk in the morning.
The investigative authority confirmed that there were 21 injured, including 14 children and 6 adults. “In Udmurtia today there was a tragedy in Izhevsk at school 88. A person who has not yet been identified broke into the school and killed a security guard, that is already known,” Governor Alexander Brechalov said shortly after the crime. “There are child victims and injured.”
Perpetrator wore “T-shirt with Nazi symbols”
Investigations began into the background of the crime in the city around 1200 kilometers east of the Russian capital Moscow. Chief investigator Alexander Bastrykin said of the perpetrator: “He was wearing a black T-shirt with Nazi symbols and a balaclava. He had no documents with him. His identity is currently being clarified.”
The Kremlin has described the fatal shooting at the school as a “terrorist act”. “President (Vladimir) Putin is in deep sorrow in connection with the deaths of people, children in the school where the terrorist act took place,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
In Russia, there have already been multiple rampages at educational institutions, resulting in deaths and injuries. This had sparked debates about tightening gun controls. In May last year, a 19-year-old killed nine people in a school in the Russian republic of Tatarstan. Even then, most of the victims in the city of Kazan were children. The man was arrested for murder and is in custody.
