Shooting in Thailand leaves dozens dead, including several children

() — A former police officer suspected of killing at least 34 people, including 22 children, at a kindergarten in northeastern Thailand has taken his own life, according to the country’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).

The man, who has been identified as a 34-year-old former police officer, also killed his wife and son, the CIB added. It is not clear if the attacker and his family are included in the death toll.

The mass shooting took place on Thursday at the Child Development Center in Uthaisawan Na Klang district, Nong Bua Lamphu province, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.

“The prime minister has expressed his condolences over the shooting incident,” the statement read.

Earlier, the police had announced that a manhunt was underway for the suspected attacker, with the prime minister’s office urging all agencies to catch the culprit.

Gun ownership in Thailand is relatively high compared to other Southeast Asian countries.

Mass shootings in the country are rare, but in one 2020 incident, a soldier killed 29 people in a shootout that began at a military site and then continued into a shopping mall.