18-Year-Old Arrested After School Shooting and Hostage Stand-off in Songkhla

Brickinfo News Agency – A violent hostage situation unfolded at Patong Prathankhiriwat School in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, on Wednesday afternoon when an 18-year-old male, reportedly suffering from drug-induced psychosis, seized a police firearm and stormed the campus. The suspect held the school director and several students hostage, leading to a confrontation that left four individuals injured, including the director who sustained serious gunshot wounds. Police managed to apprehend the suspect following a tense standoff, bringing the crisis to a close.

The incident began on February 11, 2026, at approximately 4:30 PM, when local police and village leaders responded to reports of a man acting erratically and assaulting citizens in the Ban Phru area. The suspect, identified as Khemanant (last name withheld), 18, initially attacked officials with a machete. During the ensuing struggle, the suspect damaged a government vehicle and managed to steal a SIG SAUER 9mm handgun from an officer before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle toward the school.

Upon entering the school grounds, the gunman fired shots to intimidate staff and students, forcing them into the assembly hall and public relations office. He specifically targeted the School Director, holding him hostage as a bargaining chip. Preliminary investigations suggest the primary motive was personal resentment; the suspect was reportedly enraged by a teacher’s decision to punish his younger sister and had entered the school premises seeking revenge against specific faculty members.

The atmosphere inside the school remained critical as gunfire broke out, resulting in four injuries. The school director suffered severe gunshot wounds to his arm and torso and was immediately transported to Songklanagarind Hospital (PSU Hospital) for emergency surgery. Two other individuals who attempted to intervene were also injured, while a female student sustained injuries after jumping from the second floor of a school building in a desperate attempt to escape the gunman.

Law enforcement officers eventually successfully neutralized the threat and took Khemanant into custody. The stolen police firearm was recovered at the scene as evidence. While the immediate danger has passed and the suspect has been taken for interrogation and legal proceedings, the school area remains cordoned off for forensic investigation. Authorities are now focusing on providing psychological support to the traumatized students and staff involved in the incident.