Bangkok school shooter's parents 'apologise to society' as death toll rises to eight after 14-year-old killed his grandparents before going on bullet rampage in class

The parents of a teenage gunman who killed eight people in a shooting at a school in Thailand have apologised 'to society'. The father of the 14-year-old, who also shot and killed his grandparents before going on the killing spree at his school on Friday, expressed remorse for what his son had done, Thai media reports.The shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on the outskirts of Bangkok initially killed five members of staff and two children, before a 12-year-old girl was also confirmed to have died on Saturday.Some 22 others were wounded, with 14 still in hospital and seven of those in a critical condition.The shooter turned the gun, which was registered to his grandfather, on himself before he could be arrested. Thai police called the teenager's parents, who were described as extremely stressed and not willing to speak to reporters, in for questioning today.The boy's father told officers during his interview session that he apologised to society for what his son had done, local media reported, adding the man saw his son's body only when preparing for his funeral later on Saturday.Friday's attack marked the worst mass shooting since 2022, and has reignited debate about gun laws in the country. The father (pictured) of a teenage gunman who killed eight people in a shooting at Debsirin Nonthaburi School on the outskirts of Bangkok has apologised 'to society' for his son's actionsNewly emerged images show the suspect, dressed in the school's purple uniform, stalking the corridors of Debsirin Nonthaburi School on the outskirts of Bangkok The images capturing the shooter were taken before he turned the gun on himself The suspect was reportedly seen reloading ammunition inside the building, and is now known to have killed eight people at the school as well as his grandparents. Pictured: The gun used in the shooting The shooter's parents were both questioned by Thai police, it has been confirmedOn Saturday it was confirmed that a third pupil, a girl aged 12, has died from critical wounds.The 14-year-old, who has not been named, killed his grandparents at their family home before travelling to school and opening fire at around 10am on Friday. He then took his own life.After the shooting the school made a social media appeal for blood donations for two injured students, including the seventh grade girl who has now died.Fourteen people remain hospitalised, of whom seven are in a critical condition, according to Thailand's Health Ministry. Most of those wounded were between 12 and 14 years old.Relatives have already claimed the bodies of some of the shooting victims, as well as the teenager who committed the atrocity and his grandparents. The young girl's body is still to be released.Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, head of Bangkok's Institute of Forensic Medicine, said most of the victims suffered a single fatal gunshot wound to a vital area, including the chest or head.He said the gunshot wound found on the alleged shooter was consistent with the weapon he had used. More detailed forensic findings, including toxicology results, are expected later, he said.Officials said the gun, described as small and compact, was legally registered to the boy's grandfather.There were reports that the boy had shown signs of stress connected to school, although some of his relatives told Thai media that they were unaware of any troubles he might have been facing. A pupil reunites with a relative after being evacuated from Debsirin Nonthaburi School Medical personnel perform CPR on the shooter who died by suicide Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said the suspect used a handgun (pictured) which is said to have been registered to his grandfather On Saturday mourners began to lay flowers at the scene of the school shooting in BangkokPurin Khumchoo, 17, said he was among the students who had nearly been shot, and described the gunman as 'troubled'.'He was my junior, but I had a feeling that he was a troubled kid. My group of friends who knew him said he was interested in the FBI and guns, and that he was bullied by many other students,' he said.'When I saw him aiming the gun at me, I thought he looked very professional, as if he had been trained for a long time.'The suspect was said to be an avid gamer, while a teacher at the school said that he was a 'good kid with good study records', and that he was not known to be aggressive.Yesterday images showed the suspect, dressed in the school's purple uniform, stalking the building's corridors as he appears to load up a handgun.The co-educational state school, which has about 3,100 students enrolled aged 12 to 18, said all classes would be suspended next week and school staff were instructed to work from home during that time.Mourners laid flowers Saturday morning at the school's gate.Charin Siriananchai brought his two sons, ages nine and six, to pay their respects. He said while his sons did not study there, he lives in the neighborhood and drives past this school almost every day, often stopping to allow students to cross the road. A schoolgirl cries outside her school where deaths and injuries were reported after a shooting in Thailand's Nonthaburi province, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026The suspect is said to have shot his grandparents at their home 'Everyone was saddened and shocked, because it was unexpected that this would happen in Thailand, and also it's quite a great loss,' he said.Some parents also came with their children to collect their belongings left behind after the shooting. A father, who declined to identify himself, said his son, who was at the school during the shooting, was still in shock and could not sleep alone.Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul offered his condolences to the victims and their families and said he had ordered relevant officials to take care of the victims.'It's such a terrible incident. It should never have happened. How could this happen in our country?' he told reporters at Bangkok's Government House.Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan and far surpassing its south-east Asian neighbors.Data collected in 2017 found civilian gun ownership in Thailand was about 15.1 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 in neighboring Malaysia.Thailand had 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, according to 2023 statistics published by World Population Review. That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, but relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.While shootings involving indiscriminate killings are not common, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile shooting deaths in recent years.In February, a 17-year-old stole a gun from police and opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, briefly taking people hostage in a two-hour attack that killed one person and wounded two others.A 14-year-old boy was accused of a 2023 shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall.