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

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.

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.

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.