8 killed in firing at Russia's Perm State University

Moscow, September 20

A gunman opened fire in a university in the Russian city of Perm on Monday morning, leaving eight persons dead and others wounded, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.

The gunman has been detained, the Russian Interior Ministry said.

The Perm State University press service said the perpetrator used a so-called “traumatic” firearm, which is designed to fire non-lethal rubber or plastic projectiles but can be modified to fire other ammunition.

Students and staff of the university locked themselves in rooms and the university urged those who could leave the campus to do so. The state Tass news agency cited an unnamed source in the law enforcement as saying that some students jumped out of the windows of a building. The number of wounded was uncertain — reports varied from six to 14 and it was not clear if any of those were injuries from jumping from the building. There was no immediate information on the gunman’s identity or possible motivation. — AP

Past incidents

May 2021 A gunman opened fire at a school in Kazan, killing seven students and two teachers

Nov 2019 A college student opened fire on fellow students, killing one and wounding three before killing himself in Blagoveshchensk

October 2018 A college student in Russian-annexed Crimea killed 20 before turning the gun on himself