BANGKOK — A former police officer facing a drug charge burst into a day care center in Thailand on Thursday, killing dozens of preschoolers and teachers before opening fire as he ran away. The bloodiest shooting rampage in nation history claimed at least 36 lives.
After Kill
The attacker, who was fired earlier this year, killed his wife and child at home before committing suicide.
Photos shot by first responders showed the school's floor covered in small bodies of youngsters who had been having an afternoon nap while still swaddled in their blankets. The pictures showed bloody puddles, bullet wounds to their heads, and cuts to their faces.
A teacher said to ThaiPBS public television that the attacker shot a man eating lunch outside as soon as he got out of a car and continued to fire shots after that. The teacher had a chance to flee inside when the attacker stopped to reload.
The young mother, who declined to provide her name, choked back her words as she continued, "I hurried to the rear, the kids were asleep. The kids were between two and three years old.
- 37 dead overall, including the shooter, according to police
- Attacker goes on spree, killing 24 kids and 13 adults.
- Thai daycare centre for kids ages 2 to 5
- According to officials, the majority of the victims were children.
- Attacker shot himself after killing his wife and child.
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Live Update
1. According to Dr. Surapong, the provincial health official, 24 of the 36 fatalities were youngsters. This number includes the shooter's son, who along with the shooter's wife was discovered dead at home.
2. Dr. Surapong Phadungwiang, a provincial health officer, provided an updated death toll at a news conference late Thursday night, stating that 36 persons had been murdered, except the shooter. General Damrongsak Kittipraphat, the head of the national police, had earlier on Thursday claimed that 37 persons, in addition to the shooter, had died.
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