Gun Rampage in Thailand: Former Cop Kills 35, Including 24 Children
Chaos erupted Thursday afternoon in Nongbua Lamphu, northeastern Thailand, when ex-police officer Panya Kamrap went on a deadly shooting spree. The 34-year-old opened fire at a nursery, massacring at least 24 children and 11 adults before fleeing.
Nursery Horror: 19 Boys, 3 Girls Killed
At around 12.30 p.m., Kamrap stormed the nursery armed with a handgun, shotgun, and knife, according to local police chief Paisal Luesomboon. Witnesses say he shot through locked doors, refusing to spare even kids. “The teacher who died had a child in her arms,” said one woman at the scene. Staff desperately locked the doors, but Kamrap blasted right through.
Rampage Continues: Targets Wife, Son & Police Officer
After the nursery massacre, the gunman shot at people from his car, killing his wife, a police officer, his own son, and several others before turning the gun on himself. Police confirmed he was dismissed earlier this year over drug offences.
Country Stunned, Prime Minister Responds
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed “deepest condolences” and branded the attack “shocking” in a Facebook post. The nation reels from the bloodshed as police chief heads to support victims and families.
Gun violence in Thailand remains lower than in the US or Brazil but exceeds levels seen in tightly controlled countries like Japan and Singapore. This massacre is the deadliest in the country since a 2020 shopping centre shooting that claimed 29 lives.
