17-Year-Old Wounds Three in Thai School Shooting
A 17-year-old gunman opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand on Wednesday afternoon, injuring at least three people and briefly holding students and teachers hostage before police wounded and arrested him after a two-hour standoff.
The attack occurred at Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla province's Hat Yai district, shortly after classes ended around 4:30 p.m. local time. According to provincial officials, the suspect entered the campus armed with a gun and began shooting, severely wounding the school's director with gunshots. One student was also hit by gunfire, while another suffered injuries while jumping from a building in an attempt to escape. Police arrived quickly, surrounding the school and engaging in negotiations and a gunbattle to resolve the situation. The assailant was shot in the exchange but survived and was taken into custody, with all hostages freed unharmed, authorities said.
The suspect, who has a reported history of drug abuse and mental health issues, was behaving erratically earlier in the day, including threats against his mother at a nearby residence, according to local police reports. Officers had responded to that initial call...