'Bloodthirsty deity' teen in school shooting rampage

At least seven students in their early teens or younger and a teacher were killed yesterday after a young gunman opened fire in a school in the Russian city of Kazan, capital of the Muslim-majority region of Tatarstan east of Moscow.

Two youngsters were seen leaping from the third floor of the four-story School No. 175 to escape as gunshots rang out.

"We heard the sounds of explosions at the beginning of the second lesson," said a teacher. "The shooting was on the third floor."

Media footage showed a body on the floor of a blood-stained classroom.

Rustam Minnikhanov, head of Tatarstan, said: "We have lost seven children ... four boys and three girls. And 16 people - 12 children and four adults - are in hospital.

"The terrorist has been arrested. He's a 19-year-old registered as a gun owner."

The killer was seen pinned to the ground by a police officer.

A social media account linked to the shooter contained posts in which he described himself as a "bloodthirsty deity" who would kill a "huge number" of people before shooting himself.