Gunman’s attack on Russian school leaves pupils and staff dead

At least nine people have been killed after a gunman attacked a school in the Russian city of Kazan.

Seven students, a teacher and another school employee were among the victims with 21 others admitted to hospital, Russian officials said.

Footage released by Russian media outlets showed students running out of the building. Another video depicted shattered windows, billowing smoke and sounds resembling gunshots.

Dozens of ambulances lined up at the school’s entrance after the attack and police fenced off access to the building.

Russian media said while some students were able to escape, others were trapped inside during the ordeal.

All students were eventually evacuated to nearby day care centres and collected by their families.

Officials said the attacker has been arrested and police opened a criminal investigation into the shooting. Four boys and three girls, all eighthgrade students, died, as well as a teacher and another school employee, said Rustam Minnikhanov, governor of the Tatarstan republic, where Kazan is the capital.

“The terrorist has been arrested, (he is) 19 years old. A firearm is registered in his name. Other accomplices haven’t been established, an investigation is under way,” Mr Minnikhanov said.

According to Tatarstan health officials, 21 people were taken to hospital with wounds after the attack, including 18 children, six of whom were in “severely grave condition”.

Russian media said the gunman was a former student of the school who reportedly called himself “a god” on his account in the messaging app Telegram and promised to “kill a large amount of biomass” on the morning of the shooting.

The account was blocked by Telegram after the attack.

Emergency services at the school after the shooting

A Russian police special unit at the school.