HAT YAI, Songkhla Province, Thailand — A tense hostage situation at a secondary school in southern Thailand ended Wednesday after police detained an armed 18-year-old suspect and secured the release of all hostages, authorities said.
Deputy Superintendent Wichian Soboon confirmed that the suspect, who entered Patongprathankiriwat School in Hat Yai district earlier in the afternoon with a firearm, was arrested following a swift police response.
Local officials said the gunman opened fire inside the campus before holding students and teachers hostage. At least three people were injured during the incident, according to police.
Videos circulating on social media showed chaotic scenes as police and special forces surrounded the school, evacuated pupils and staff, and brought the situation under control. Authorities emphasized that all hostages were freed safely.
The motive for the attack has not been publicly disclosed. Police are continuing their investigation into how the suspect gained access to the weapon and the circumstances leading up to the incident.
Gun violence remains an issue in Thailand, which previously saw a deadly 2022 attack at a childcare centre that killed 36 people, including 22 children.
Officials have not released the names of the injured or further details about their conditions. Emergency responders and counselling teams are assisting those affected as the community begins to recover.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
