Kerch Polytechnic College massacre
Kerch Polytechnic College attack | |
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File:Daños de la masacre en la Universidad Politécnica de Kerch.png | |
Kerch Polytechnic College | |
Location | Kerch, Crimea |
Coordinates | 45°21′23″N 36°32′08″E / 45.35639°N 36.53556°E |
Date | 17 October 2018 | (UTC+3:00)
Weapons | |
Deaths | 21 (including the perpetrator) |
Injured | At least 50 |
Accused | Vladislav Roslyakov |
A school shooting and bomb attack occurred in the dining room of Kerch Polytechnic College in Kerch, Crimea, on 17 October 2018.[2] 21 people were shot to death (including the gunman) and more than 65 wounded.[3][4] The attack was the greatest loss of life in school violence in the former Soviet Union since the Beslan school siege in 2004 where 385 were murdered and another 783 wounded.[5]
Attack
Vladislav Roslyakov purchased a shotgun on 8 September and bought 150 rounds legally at a gun shop on 13 October.[6][7] He reportedly entered school grounds on 17 October at about 11:46 am[8] and shortly after began shooting.[9] A survivor of the incident said that the shooting lasted for more than 15 minutes.[10]
Several witnesses described a gunman walking up and down the halls at Kerch Polytechnic College and firing randomly at classmates and teachers until he ran out of ammunition. A large nail-bomb[11] detonated, and local police said that they deactivated more explosives on the campus.[12] Student witnesses described the explosion as blasting out the windows, and that people running to escape were shot at point blank range.[13] However, there was initially variation in survivors' accounts of the incident, with some claiming that a large bomb exploded and others describing only gunfire and the use of grenades.[14]
The town website claimed that the explosion occurred on the first floor although the shooting occurred on the second.[15] Television channel Russia-24 reported that 200 military personnel had been sent to the location.[16] Eyewitness accounts differ about the time it took for law enforcement to respond, as times differ between 5 and 20 minutes, even though a police station is across the street, some 330 yards away,[8]
Perpetrator
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Early reports said that the attack was perpetrated by a fourth-year student of the college.[17] The reports were soon confirmed by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAK), which said that he was 18-year-old Vladislav Roslyakov (Russian: Владислав Росляков).[18]
Roslyakov reputedly tortured stray cats in the neighborhood as a child.[19] When Roslyakov was around ten years old, his parents broke up after his father sustained a severe head injury, after which he became disabled and aggressive towards Roslyakov, his mother and other relatives.[20] Roslyakov studied at a local school with no interest and poor grades. He had few friends and his hobbies included weapons and video games.[21] In 2015 he joined the college to study to become an electrician. In college he developed an interest in explosives and weapons and started to take a knife bayonet to class.[22]
A friend said that Roslyakov "hated the technical school very much" and had vowed revenge on his teachers.[23] There were also reports that he may have been bullied. According to an ex-girlfriend, he said he had lost confidence in people when his classmates started to ridicule him because he was not like everyone else. [24] In the days before the attack he discussed the lack of sense in his life, possible shooting and suicide on social media.[25] Surveillance footage of the incident captured Roslyakov carrying an eight-shot 12 gauge Hatsan Escort Aimguard pump-action shotgun with a pistol grip and wearing black trousers and a white T-shirt with the word "hatred".[12][25] His outfit resembled that of Eric Harris, one of the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in the United States, leading to speculation that the massacre was a copycat crime.[26][27]
Investigation
Investigators in the days after the attack are attempting to establish Roslyakov's motive and suggested that they are treating it as a school shooting.[14] Officials are investigation concerns in the case such as, where did Roslyakov get the 30-40 thousand rubles (about $540 USD) for the weapon, and where did he learn to use all of his weapons.[8]
Potential accomplice
Kremlin-appointed Crimean prime minister Sergei Aksyonov stated on 18 October that it is possible the perpetrator had an accomplice, and police were searching for the individual "who was coaching" Roslyakov for the crime.[28]
Casualties
The NAK[29] said that most of the victims were teenagers. Fifteen students and five teachers died and according to the Investigative Committee, all died of gunshot wounds. More than 50 were wounded.[30]
Crimean authorities have published a list of the 20 victims who were killed.[31]
Aftermath
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Russian President Vladimir Putin described the attack as a "tragic event" and offered his condolences to the victims' families.[32] Putin placed the blame of the attack on social media and the internet, and the "tragic events in schools in the US".[11]
Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov announced that there would be three days of mourning in Crimea. Crimean State Council speaker Vladimir Konstantinov announced that the victims' families would receive financial compensation, with preliminary discussions suggesting that the payments would be 1 million rubles (USD 13577.73) from the federal and local budget.[16] The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea initiated criminal proceedings under the article "act of terrorism" investigating the attack.[33] Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko expressed condolences to the victims, whom he described as Ukrainian citizens.[33][nb 1]
Memorial
Throughout Russia and other countries, hundreds of people gathered for memorials for the victims. In Moscow the memorial of Kerch in the Alexander Garden was decorated with flowers.[35] A makeshift memorial was created outside of the school, for residents and survivors to bring flowers and toys.[36]
International
Leaders of several countries expressed their condolences to the victims of the attack, including Armenia,[37] Estonia, Finland, Germany,[38] Italy, Thailand, the UK,[39] and Venezuela. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland and Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres also expressed condolences.
See also
Notes
- ^ Ukraine does not recognise the March 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia and sees Crimea as its territory.[33][34]
References
- ^ "Ружье "для самообороны" и картечь на волка – стало известно, какое оружие использовал "Керченский стрелок"" [Shotgun "for self-defense" and a canister on a wolf - it became known what weapon the "Kerch shooter" used]. Диалог.UA [dialog.ua] (in Russian). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "'We want to live': Terrifying VIDEOS of students fleeing Kerch college massacre". RT International. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ "Crimea school shooting: Gunman Vladislav Roslyakov kills at least 17 at Kerch college". Associated Press. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Crimea school massacre: Nurse who helped victims tries to kill herself after realising gunman was her SON". UK Mirror. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "The Truth About Beslan". The Weekly Standard. Retrieved 13 November 2006.
- ^ "Законно ли у Влада Рослякова было оружие? Законно. (Was Vladimir Roslyakov's weapon legal? Yes, it was...)". VKontakte (Mash).
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=
(help) - ^ Гавриленко, Валерий Береснев, Елена Колебакина-Усманова, Александр. ""У кого-то ногу разорвало, у кого-то – голову": откуда взялся "керченский стрелок – Химик"".
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Kravtsova, Irina (18 October 2018). "'How were we supposed to know what was in his head?' Life in Kerch, a day after a school massacre rocked the city — Meduza". Meduza. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- ^ Reuters (18 October 2018). "Crimean College Shooting: What We Know So Far". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
{{cite news}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ "At least 17 killed in attack on college in Russian-annexed Crimea". CBS News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Crimea attack is 'result of globalisation'". BBC News. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ a b Roth, Andrew (17 October 2018). "Crimea college attack: student carries out mass shooting in Kerch". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ "Crimea bloodbath: Seeing friends die and running for their lives – witnesses describe attack horror". RT International. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ a b News, A. B. C. (18 October 2018). "Russia investigates whether student who killed 20 at Crimean college acted alone". ABC News. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
{{cite web}}
:|last=
has generic name (help) - ^ Sputnik. "Witness on Kerch Blast: There Was No Central Entrance, There Were No Windows". sputniknews.com. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ a b CNN, Nathan Hodge, Emma Burrows, Darya Tarasova and Bianca Britton,. "Teens among 18 killed in attack at Crimea college, Russia says". CNN. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
{{cite news}}
:|last=
has generic name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ ГОРБУНОВ, Андрей (17 October 2018). "Полиция: теракт устроил студент 4 курса колледжа. Он покончил с собой на втором этаже". KP.RU - сайт «Комсомольской правды» (in Russian). Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ "Теракт в колледже Керчи устроил Владислав Росляков" (in Russian). Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ "В детстве керчинский стрелок мучил и душил котов". www.mgazeta.com.
- ^ "Соседи керченского стрелка рассказали о жестокости его отца" (in Russian). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Стали известны детали биографии "керченского стрелка" и его вероятный мотив" (in Russian). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ КОЗУРОВ, Дмитрий (17 October 2018). "Носил на лекции нож и играл в «стрелялки»: что известно о подростке, устроившем взрыв в керченском колледже". KP.RU - сайт «Комсомольской правды» (in Russian). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Bomb kills 13 in Crimea college - Russia". BBC News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ "Crimea killer was 'bullied', says ex-girlfriend; Putin blames globalisation". timeslive.co.za. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- ^ a b КОЗУРОВ, Дмитрий (18 October 2018). ""Круто было бы устроить бойню": керченский стрелок рассказывал друзьям о своих планах атаки на колледж". KP.RU - сайт «Комсомольской правды».
- ^ Zhilin, Ivan (17 October 2018). "Керченский колумбайн?" [Kerch Columbine?]. Novaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ Roth, Andrew (17 October 2018). "Crimea college attack: student carries out mass shooting in Kerch". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ "Authorities searching for possible accomplice in Crimea school attack". NBC News. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ Cole, Brendan (17 October 2018). "Multiple People Killed After 'Explosive Device' Blows Up on College Campus in Crimea". Newsweek. Newsweek LLC. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ "Russian authorities search for possible accomplice of student killer in Crimea attack - CBC News". cbc.ca. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
- ^ "Опубликован официальный список погибших в Керченском политехническом колледже | Правительство Республики Крым | Официальный портал". rk.gov.ru. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Crimea school shooting: Gunman kills at least 17 at Kerch college". ABC7 Chicago. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- ^ a b c Poroshenko: Crimea's PGO initiates criminal proceedings following terrorist attack in Kerch, UNIAN (17 October 2018)
- ^ Gutterman, Steve (18 March 2014). "Putin signs Crimea treaty, will not seize other Ukraine regions". Reuters. Reuters.com. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- ^ "Hundreds of people paid tribute to the victims of Kerch Polytechnic College | tellerreport.com". Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ Vasilyeva, Nataliya (18 October 2018). "Crimean city turns to mourning 20 victims of school attack". Washington Post. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=
(help) - ^ "Armenia acting PM: We strongly condemn this act of violence". news.am.
- ^ "Меркель выразила соболезнования в связи с трагедией в Керчи". РБК. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "FCO Statement on the attack at Kerch Polytechnic College in Crimea". GOV.UK. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
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