HAT YAI, Thailand — A teenager who authorities said stole a police officer’s gun opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, killing the school’s director and injuring two students before police detained him after a tense, roughly two-hour standoff on Feb. 11.
The shooting and hostage situation at Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla province shook a region near the Malaysian border and drew a heavy police response, including officers in helmets and body armor who evacuated students from stairwells as gunshots were heard. Officials said the motive remained under investigation, and the suspect had not been charged as of Thursday while investigators gathered evidence and interviewed witnesses.
The attack began late Wednesday afternoon, shortly after classes were dismissed, when the teen entered school grounds in an agitated state, officials said. Authorities said police had been responding to reports of the suspect acting erratically nearby when he attacked an officer, seized the officer’s handgun and moved into the school. Students and staff scattered as shots rang out, and some people were trapped inside while police established a perimeter and moved families back from the gates. “The perpetrator has been captured,” a senior local official said after officers pinned the suspect to the ground and led him away.
Officials said the school director, Sasiphat Sinsamosorn, was shot during the attack and rushed to a hospital, where she underwent surgery and was admitted to intensive care. She died around 2 a.m. Thursday, health officials said, citing severe internal injuries and major blood loss. One student was wounded by gunfire and taken to a hospital, and another student was injured while trying to flee, including reports of a fall or jump from a building during the evacuation. Police said at least one teacher was also shot, and local officials continued to reconcile early injury counts as hospitals treated patients and families searched for children.
Videos from the scene showed armed officers moving through a multi-story school building as bursts of gunfire were heard in the distance, then guiding students down stairs and out to safety. In one clip, officers shouted that it was safe and told children to go home as students ran in lines past classrooms. Outside, parents waited along nearby roads, some crying as buses and ambulances arrived. Authorities said the suspect was detained on school property after officers moved in and the remaining hostages were freed. The teen was reported to have been grazed by a bullet during the confrontation and treated at a hospital under guard.
Investigators said they were still working to determine why the teen targeted the school and whether he intended to harm specific staff members. One account from local officials said the suspect demanded to see a particular teacher and fired after he could not find the person. Police also said the suspect had family ties to the campus, including a sister who attended the school, but they emphasized that the motive was not yet clear. Authorities described the suspect as having a history of substance abuse and mental health issues, including a recent discharge from psychiatric treatment in December. Those details were part of an early picture drawn from official statements and were expected to be reviewed as police gathered medical and school records and interviewed relatives and staff.
School shootings remain less common in Thailand than in some countries, but firearms are widely available, and officials have struggled for years with illegal weapons and violent crime tied to drugs. The Hat Yai incident revived painful memories of a 2022 attack in Thailand’s east in which a former police officer killed dozens of people, including many children, in a day care center assault involving a gun and a knife. Local leaders said the latest attack would prompt renewed discussions about school security and the handling of high-risk situations, while national officials highlighted police efforts to end the standoff and evacuate students quickly.
By Thursday, forensic teams and investigators were working inside and around the school buildings, and police said they would examine bullet impacts, recover shell casings and review video to map the suspect’s path. Authorities said the suspect remained in custody while they continued questioning and awaited further medical updates on the injured student. Police leaders said charges would be considered once investigators completed initial interviews and evidence collection, and officials did not immediately provide a timetable for a formal case briefing. In Songkhla, local administrators said additional officers would be visible around schools in the area in the days ahead as parents and educators processed the shooting.
Teachers and students described a chaotic scene as the attack unfolded, with children hiding in classrooms and running down stairways when officers arrived. Families gathered outside for hours, calling out names and watching for buses carrying evacuees. After the director’s death was announced, the school posted a condolence message saying her kindness and memory would remain with the community. Authorities said the campus would remain closed while investigators finished their work and administrators assessed when classes could safely resume.
Officials said the scene was secure Thursday as investigators continued to interview witnesses and confirm injury totals, and the next major update was expected after police complete initial evidence collection and medical teams provide fresh reports on the wounded students.