Russia shooting: Six dead and dozens injured after gunman opens fire at Perm University

By Euronews • Updated: 20/09/2021 - 

People stand behind the fence near the Perm State University with the a Posguardia (National Guardia) on the left, in Perm, Russia, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021 - Copyright Anastasia Yakovleva/Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Six people have died and dozens have been injured in a shooting at Perm State University in Russia.

Russia's Investigative Committee said the suspected gunman has been detained after being injured by police while attempting to resist the arrest.

The man wasn't named but was identified as an 18-year-old student. Authorities said he carried out the attack with a smoothbore rifle and was also carrying a knife.


"It is known that he acquired the gun in May of this year," the Investigative Committee said.

Earlier on Monday, Perm State University had warned on social media that an "unknown person" began firing with a "traumatic weapon" around 11:00 local time.

Images shared on social media showed an armed individual walking onto the university campus, which is located around 1,300 kilometres east of Moscow, in the Urals.

The university urged all students to barricade themselves in the classrooms or leave the building. Footage from the scene also showed staff and students jumping out of windows to escape.


The university was evacuated after the incident. A number of those injured were hospitalised with injuries of "varying severity," the authorities added.

The governor of the Perm Territory, Dmitry Makhonin, has reached the scene and sent his condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

The investigative committee added that it had launched a criminal investigation. A memorial to the victims of the shooting will be opened off-campus on Tuesday, the university added.

The incident comes just four months after nine people were killed in a shooting at a school in the Russian city of Kazan.

The incident prompted Russian President Vladimir Putin to call for tighter gun regulations and raise the minimum purchase age from 18 to 21.

On Monday, Putin also offered his condolences and described the shooting as a "tremendous tragedy" for the whole of Russia.