On September 26, local time, a major shooting occurred in the 88th School of Izhevsk, the capital of the Udmurt Republic of Russia.
On the morning of that day, a gunman broke into the school with a gun and fired the students. According to students who have witnessed it, the gunman fired nearly all closed classrooms and offices, and then checked one by one for anyone inside. It is reported that the police arrived at the scene less than three minutes after receiving the report of the shooting, and the gunman then committed suicide.
According to the latest data, the case has killed 17 people, including 11 children and 6 adults, and more than 30 others have been injured. After the shooting, Russian President's press secretary Peskov said: "President Putin and expressed deep condolences to the victims. The gunman is obviously a member of a new fascist organization or gang."
It is reported that the gunman is named Artyom Kazantev, born in 1988, is a native of Izhevsk City and a graduate of the school where the crime occurred. According to the latest news on the 27th, Kazantev conducted a year-long "careful planning and preparation" for the attack.
↑The crowd in front of the 88th school in Izhevsk
The gunman was diagnosed with "dirty schizophrenia" 11 years ago
It is reported that in the search of Kazantev's residence, the police seized five mobile phones and a computer. The contents of it showed that from purchasing weapons to choosing the attack location, Kazantev carefully prepared for the massacre for more than a year. "In the criminal target, I picked out kindergartens, schools, recruitment offices, ." Kazantev explained in a note, saying that he did not care about politics, nor believed in religion, and "had only hatred towards people."
The Russian Federal Commission of Investigation released images of Kazantev committing suicide after shooting at school on the 26th. He was wearing a black T-shirt with a red Nazi logo printed on it. In addition, the gunman carried at least 20 magazines, each with the words "Hate" written in red paint. The video shows that Kazantev carries at least two modified live ammunition pistols.
It is reported that Kazantev had visited a doctor in a local neuropsychiatric clinic and was diagnosed with "dirty schizophrenia" 11 years ago. The last time he went to see a psychologist was a week ago. A psychiatrist said such patients can mask symptoms and make themselves look no different from normal people. Even if the patient's condition worsens, the patient will try to conceal his or her experience of delusion and hallucination from the doctor.
↑ Kazantzev carried a large number of magazines, each with the words "Hate" written in red paint
Kazantzev lived with his mother Ala Kazantzev. His home was opposite the 88th school, only 2 minutes' walk away. It is reported that Kazantev was working when he went to school with a gun. Allah said that when he saw his son that morning, nothing special happened.
Neighbors said that Kazantev was always quiet, but never greeted people and was a little shy. One of his classmates also said that he was "very shy" and did not want to attract others' attention.
Another student said that Kazantev was a quiet person during his student days, nicknamed "Hedgehog". He likes to play slot machines and play football. His favorite computer game is " Counter-Strike ". In general, people describe him as "quiet, even very patient" and still a "computer fan".
"Preview letter" was sent 20 minutes before the shooting
It is reported that at 10:32 am on the morning of the 26th, 20 minutes before Kazantev broke into Izhev's 88th School and fired, an email signed "Tamerland" appeared in the mailbox of Izhevsk's 70th School, previewing the upcoming attack. The strange email reads: "Hello everyone, my name is Tamerlan. As the only reason for this happening is 'hatred!'"
reported that the letter was likely sent by Kazantev before the campus shooting. In the email, Tamerland said it was easier to buy weapons illegally than to buy them legally, but more expensive. Security measures simply don't work and become corrupt revenue projects.The school's security measures did not intimidate him, and he was convinced that everything assigned to security was "stolen". One of Kassantsev's crime motives might be the desire to "do an experiment" to prove the uselessness of the entire school security system, neither the security staff nor the alarm system.
He continued, "I hold a one-way ticket in my hand (the possibility of being captured alive can't stop me). Today will be the best day in my life (I will die eventually). I fully understand how the media will report next and what will happen next."
↑ Kazantev's room
or a follower of the "Columbine Movement"
It is reported that Kazantev obviously made careful preparations for the attack. At present, the Russian Federal Bureau of Investigation is searching Kazantev's residence to verify whether he believes in the "neofascist view and Nazi ideological " and has joined a certain group.
According to reports, an email sent by suspected Kazantev wrote that he is not an extremist organization, has no political demands, and has no mentor planning and command behind the scenes. However, investigators found a homemade braided keychain on a pistol carried by Kazantesov, which read "Columbine", "Eric" and "Dylan", which seemed to be "memorating" the teenager who created a mass shooting at the Columbine School in the United States in 1999.
On April 20, 1999, two teenagers with mental problems, Eric Harris and Dylan Claybird, with guns and explosives, entered Columbine Middle School in Colorado, USA, and shot and killed 15 people and injured 24 people. The two then shot and killed themselves. This "massacre" incident became one of the bloodiest campus shootings in the United States at that time. Since then, "Columbine" has become a household name for campus shootings.
After that, the "Columbine Movement" of the same name began to sprout, attracting the attention of some teenagers. military boots , dark pants and a T-shirt with the words "Hate" printed on it became the symbol of the "Columbine Movement". In 2018, 18-year-old Vladislav Roslyakov, a follower of the Kolumbine Movement, committed an explosion at the Kerch Institute of Technology in Crimea, killing 21 people. Subsequently, Roslyakov committed suicide under the "Columbine" regulations.
It is reported that after October 2018, a wave of the "Columbine Movement" has set off on Russia's social networks, which has also led to an upward trend in crimes related to campus violence in Russia in recent years. In February this year, the "Columbine Movement" was officially recognized by the Russian government as a "terrorist activity" organization.
↑Archom Kazantev
However, although this movement has been banned in Russia, it still penetrates into Russia through the "dark web" and other means, looking for "followers" among people with mental instability. According to reports, Kazantev was likely "guided to kill people", and he was told where to obtain the weapons and how to proceed. This email may have been prepared by someone for him.
A terrorist organization in Ukraine claimed the shooting, and the Russian official has not confirmed it yet. In addition, after the shooting, a Ukrainian terrorist organization named "Russian Amoral Murder Portrait (RAMP)" claimed online that it was responsible for the campus shooting, saying that Kazantev was a member of the organization.
It is reported that RAMP mainly operates on social networks, promoting information including "сваттинг" (false dangerous information) and "Columbine" (campus shooting). Although the official language is Ukrainian , all posts are posted in Russian. The information released by the organization contains a large amount of content "support Ukraine and oppose the People's Republic of Donbass". Since early September, the group has continuously issued "false bomb" threats to schools in Russia and Donbas.
Previously, the Russian Federal Security Bureau reported that the Ukrainian Intelligence and Psychological Action Center was involved in activities to promote terrorist attacks such as "Columbine".This spring, they created about 700 related communities on social networks, each with a "tutor" responsible for commanding the work, and their task is to psychologically cultivate "reinforcement people". When the "reinforced man" prepares for an action, he will receive the necessary instructions, including where and how to obtain weapons, how to not be caught during the preparation phase, and how to carry out the action.
However, Russian officials have not yet confirmed whether Kazantesv has any connection with the RAMP organization.
Red Star News Reporter Xu Yan
Editor Guan Li Xiao Ziqi
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