8 dead after gunman opens fire at university in Russia

Eight people are dead and 28 are injured after a gunman opened fire at a university in Russia on Monday.

The suspect was later shot and wounded by police, who disarmed him before transporting him to the hospital, according to the Russian Interior Ministry.

The attack occurred at Perm State University, and footage circulating on social media showed a person clad in all-black tactical gear, including a helmet and vest holding bullets, allegedly striding toward the university with a long gun.

In another video allegedly taken at the scene, students could be seen fleeing buildings by jumping out of second-story windows before taking off running.

Members of a traffic police unit were the first to respond to the scene. The suspect opened fire on the unit, which returned fire, wounding the suspect, according to the Russian Interior Ministry.

Perm State University, about 700 miles east of Moscow, has over 12,000 enrolled students.

Gun laws in Russia are strict and, following a school shooting in May 2021, the country moved to raise the gun ownership age from 18 to 21, though this law hasn’t yet been enacted, according to The Washington Post.

The shooting comes as Russia tallies the votes from parliamentary elections.