Russian teen fires flare gun at classmate before leaping from fourth floor

The ninth-grader reportedly also brought a plastic crossbow and pepper spray to the school in Chelyabinsk

A teenager opened fire with a flare gun at a school in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk on Thursday before jumping from a fourth-floor window, regional authorities have told TASS.

According to the press service of the regional government, the student had also brought a plastic crossbow and pepper spray to the school.

He fired a shot from the flare gun at a classmate, injuring her, and then jumped out of a window in the fourth-floor recreation area, himself sustaining injuries, the press service also reported.

“The injured are receiving all necessary medical assistance as law enforcement officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack,” officials said.

The regional Health Ministry said the two children are currently under observation, with their health not in danger.

The school principal told reporters that the safety of students and staff was not at risk, the afternoon session was canceled, and that classes will resume as normal on Friday. She added that psychologists are working with students affected by the incident and that children were safely handed over to their parents.

READ MORE: One dead after student opens fire at Russian college

Bullying may have been a factor in the attack, one of the shooter’s classmates told Izvestia, describing the student as quiet, friendless, and not involved in conflicts. The student also told the newspaper that a homemade firecracker was found on the floor after the incident, along with unexplained reddish stains in the classroom.