Law enforcement authorities in the city of Chelyabinsk detained a vice principal and the head of a private security company following a hammer attack at a local school earlier this week, investigators said Wednesday.
Police said a 13-year-old student injured three classmates and a teacher with a hammer at School No. 68 on Monday. The student was arrested and charged with attempted murder and “negligence,” though his motives remain unclear.
The school’s vice principal was also later arrested and charged with negligence, according to the Chelyabinsk branch of Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes.
The nature of the vice principal’s alleged negligence was not specified. According to Russian law, criminal negligence leading to serious injury or death carries a punishment of up to five years in prison.
Additionally, the deputy director of the private security company contracted by the school was arrested and charged with failing to meet safety standards.
Parents expressed concerns to local media about the school’s reportedly inadequate security protocols, despite nationwide efforts to improve safety measures following several deadly school shootings and knife attacks in recent years.
Chelyabinsk region Governor Alexei Teksler has since ordered a region-wide review of school security protocols in response to the attack.
Investigators confirmed media reports that the 13-year-old student had a history of mental health issues and that a preliminary investigation had been launched into the medical institution where the student had been receiving care.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously attributed the rise in armed school attacks to foreign influences, particularly from the United States, and has responded by tightening gun control laws.
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