Close Friend Says 14-Year-Old Had No Bullying History

On August 8, reporters spoke with a close friend of the 14-year-old suspect after police completed their initial questioning. The friend, given the pseudonym "Mark," described the suspect as quiet and reserved, typically sitting alone at the back left corner of the classroom. Mark firmly denied that the suspect had ever been bullied, harassed, or physically assaulted, citing their friendship since middle school. Mark also dismissed circulating rumors that the suspect had been kicked into bathrooms or bullied for years as completely false.

When asked about conflicts or grievances with other students, Mark confirmed the suspect had no disputes with peers, but acknowledged a problem with only one Thai language teacher. The suspect had complained about excessive homework and had received a failing grade in that subject, which he spent months trying to improve.

Regarding the BB gun, Mark admitted the suspect had previously carried a short BB gun in his backpack to show friends and played with it at school until a classmate reported him, leading teachers to confiscate it and deduct behavioral points. Mark also recounted the day of the incident: all students, including the suspect, participated in the flag-raising ceremony and attended classes normally. The shooting occurred during the second period mathematics class when the teacher was explaining homework. About ten minutes into class, the suspect put in earbuds, stood up, shouldered a bag of ammunition, and positioned himself at the front of the classroom before shooting the math teacher. He then left to shoot another teacher while Mark sought shelter. Mark emphasized there were no warning signs or tense atmosphere beforehand.

Police are continuing to gather evidence and question witnesses to determine the exact cause and motivation behind the incident.