At least 21 killed in school shooting massacre in Crimea, wounds more than 65, 10 in critical, 5 in coma described as “extremely grave”

Unless you watch the news closely you likely missed the news that a day ago there was a very deadly mass public school shooting in Crimea. It will probably be another day or so until there is a good idea how many people were killed by eighteen-year-old Vladislav Roslyakov. This case will quickly be forgotten in the news coverage.

There is even bias in even some of the headlines on this story. Take the UK Mirror whose subheadline is: “Vladislav Roslyakov’s victims have emerged after he killed 21 in a bomb and gun attack at a college in Kerch.” In Australia, the headline reads: “Teenagers among 19 killed in bombing, shooting, at Crimea college.” But “all the victims died of gunshot wounds.”

From the UK Mirror:

Vladislav Roslyakov killed 21 people and injured more than 65 in a bomb and gun attack at a college in Crimea. . . .

Among the dead – mostly students aged between 15 and 19 – were a mother and daughter, Svetlana and Anastasia Baklanova, aged 57 and 26. . . .

The alleged killer shot and killed himself in the college library. There were angry disputes over whether the killer was alone.

The politician appointed by Vladimir Putin as head of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, insisted Roslyakov was the sole perpetrator but the politician was shouted down by parents. . . .

The Law Library of Congress describes Russia’s strict gun control laws:

… circulation of firearms to Russian citizens older than eighteen years of age with a registered permanent residence, and for the purposes of self-defense, hunting, and sports activities only. The acquisition of guns is based on licenses provided for a five-year period by local police departments at one’s place of residence after a thorough background check, including a review of the petitioner’s ability to store guns safely and an evaluation of his/her medical records. Mentally ill people and those who have been treated for substance abuse are not allowed to possess firearms.

Further:

Individuals are not allowed to carry guns acquired for self-defense; a license only serves as a carrying permit for hunting and sport firearms when these guns need to be transported. Russian citizens may not own guns that shoot in bursts or have magazines with more than a ten-cartridge capacity.

Notably, weapons used in crimes are not gained legally:

Most of the weapons used in crimes committed in Russia turned out to be unregistered or were acquired by a person who used it for criminal purposes. While Russia maintains relatively restrictive gun control legislation and strict procedures regulating the purchase and storage of firearms by private individuals, there is a huge black market for weapons, and most weapons used by criminals are stolen military or police guns, guns sold by law enforcement personnel who seized illegal weapons from criminals and did not register the confiscation of those firearms, or firearms made from modified nonlethal guns.

​Crime Prevention Research Center

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