KERCH, CRIMEA, UKRAINE – OCTOBER 17, 2018 Massacre at Kerch Polytechnic College went down in the history of Ukraine (and Russia) as one of the deadliest school tragedies ever. An 18-year-old student, Vladislav Roslyakov, killed 20 people and injured 67 there.
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- Vladislav Roslyakov
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- Vladislav Roslyakov in gun shop
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- Vladislav Roslyakov during attack
That morning, Roslyakov entered the school building armed with a pump-action shotgun and several homemade bombs. He first detonated one bomb in the school cafeteria, causing massive chaos. Then he wandered the school corridors, shooting indiscriminately at anyone in his path. The attack lasted about 15 minutes, during which Roslyakov showed no mercy. The massacre ended with a final shot in the school library, where he shot himself in the head with the shotgun.
The police found out that the shotgun and ammunition were legally owned. A few days before the attack, he bought the weapon at a local gun shop and registered it under his name.
Vladislav Roslyakov came from a broken family. His parents were divorced, and his father was a disabled alcoholic who reportedly often beat him. His mother was a Jehovah’s Witness sect member who restricted and controlled his life. Roslyakov was very withdrawn and had very few friends. His school grades were terrible. His only interests were weapons and computer games. He often acted strangely, once even bringing a bayonet to a school lecture.
Since Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014, the investigation was led by Russian authorities under Moscow’s control, following Russian law. The Ukrainian side expressed sympathy for the victims and somewhat politicized the incident by blaming Russia, saying the occupation affects the mental health of young people.
READ MORE:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerch_Polytechnic_College_massacre
https://abcnews.go.com/International/russia-investigates-student-killed-20-crimean-college-mass
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