Russia: Several dead after university shooting in Siberia
A gunman opened fire at a university in the Russian city of Perm on Monday morning, leaving several people dead and wounded, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.
The gunman was later detained, Russia’s Interior Ministry and a university spokesman said. Officials said that the gunman was injured while being detained.
It is the second mass shooting at an education facility in Russia this year.
What we know so far
- At least eight people died, investigators said
- Several were wounded
- Some students and staff locked themselves in the room, while others tried to escape
- Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a murder probe into the incident
- The gunman has been detained
What happened during the shooting?
Students and staff locked themselves in the rooms, and the university urged those who could leave campus to do so. Some reportedly fled through windows.
The perpetrator, who is still unidentified, used a “traumatic” firearm, according to the Perm State University press service. Such guns are designed to fire non-lethal rubber or plastic projectiles, but can be modified to fire other ammunition. There was no immediate information on the gunman’s possible motivation.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the victims sustained injuries from the shooting or from trying to escape the building. Reported figures range from six to 14 people injured. Local police were on their way to the site of the incident, state news agency Tass reported.
Russia’s Investigate Committee has opened a murder probe into the aftermath of the incident. Russia has strict restrictions on civilian firearm ownership, but some categories of guns are available for purchase for hunting and self defense.
Russia has relatively few school shootings due to normally tight security in educational institutions and gun ownership laws.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as events unfold…
lc/rt (Reuters, AP, AFP)
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/russia-several-dead-after-university-shooting-in-siberia/a-59235382?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf