Bryansk school shooting

Bryansk school shooting
Bryansk Bryansk (European Russia)
Location	Bryansk, Bezhitsa City District, Moskovsky microdistrict, Gymnasium No. 5
Coordinates	53.2951°N 34.3149°E / 53.2951; 34.3149
Date	December 7, 2023
Attack type	School shooting, mass shooting, murder-suicide
Weapon	Bekas-3 shotgun Knife (Unused)
Deaths	2 (including the perpetrator)
Injured	5 (one assessed as serious, four more in a condition of moderate severity)
Perpetrator	Alina Afanaskina
Motive	Unknown

A message about a shooting at Gymnasium No. 5 was received by the city dispatch service at 9:15 Moscow time.^[1]

Afanaskina hid a Bekas-3 shotgun belonging to her father in a paper tube and had a knife tucked into her right boot while walking to school.^[3]^[4]

Afanaskina entered a biology classroom on the fourth floor and fired several shots.^[4] The shooting resulted in two fatalities, including the perpetrator, and five injuries. One of the injured individuals was in serious condition, while the other four sustained moderate injuries. Following the incident, the remaining students were promptly evacuated, and arrangements were made for them to return home.^[5]

Afanaskina had a twin sister who was present in the classroom at the time of the incident.^[6] Both sisters arrived at the school together, although investigators have suggested that the twin may not have been aware of Alina's plans.^[7]

Quick Facts Alina Dmitrievna Afanaskina, Born ...

Alina Dmitrievna Afanaskina
Russian: Алина Дмитриевна Афанаскина
Born	July 17, 2009
Died	December 7, 2023(2023-12-07) (aged 14)
Occupation	Student

Fourteen-year-old Alina Dmitrievna Afanaskina (Russian: Алина Дмитриевна Афанаскина; born 17 July 2009), an eighth-grade progymnasium student, was identified as the perpetrator of the shooting. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case under Part 2 of Art. 105 Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

The shooter reportedly wasn’t showing signs of aggressive tendencies prior to her crime. She kept achieving good academic results and didn’t misbehave at school.^[8] Teachers and students were describing Afanaskina as „quiet”, „calm” and „polite” person^[9]^[10] who had problems with communication with schoolmates; usually she wasn’t talking nor spending time with them, with an exception to her sister.^[11]^[12] One of the students stated that both of them „studied well, although they did not shine with any special knowledge. Ordinary girls – they always dressed normally, walked and hung out with their friends (though, again, not too much), smoked vapes”.^[13]

During the investigation, father of the perpetrator testified that his daughter’s behavior worsened significantly during the last year of her life: she „acted like a zombie”, „constantly slamming doors”, to the point when he „was afraid to approach her” and considered taking her to a specialist.^[14]

Afanaskina had a conflict with some of her classmates a few months before the shooting, which resulted in a meeting with their parents held by a class teacher.^[15] Some of the gymnasium’s students pointed out that she was a target of jokes due to her loner nature,^[16]^[17] while other witnesses denied it.^[18]^[19] According to an eighth-grader who knew both sisters, Afanaskina's twin claimed that any bullying did not take place in their class, as well as that nothing happened at home in the recent past.^[20]

As State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein reported, among the shooter's personal belongings found at the crime scene was a backpack, a box of cartridges and note that the girl "must definitely meet with a friend".^[21]^[22] The investigation of the shooting was taken control by Commissioner under the President of the Russian Federation for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova.^{[citation needed]}

Afanaskina's father was detained, facing correctional labor for up to two years, or compulsory labor for up to 480 hours, or imprisonment for up to two years in accordance with Criminal Code 224.2 of the Russian Federation. He was also charged with Article 110 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (incitement to suicide).^[23]^[24]

On December 9, Larisa Katolikova, deputy director of Gymnasium No. 5, where the shooting took place, was detained.^[25] Katolikova was charged under Part 3 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation – negligence that resulted in the death of two or more persons.^[26]

Afanaskina's father's trial began in December 2024, and he was acquitted of the charge of driving her to suicide.^[27] Afanaskin pleaded not guilty to the charge of negligent possession of a weapon.^[28] At the request of the victims, the sessions were closed.^[27]^[29]

According to Mash, the attacker could have been recruited by some “Ukrainian radicals” from an extremist and terrorist group «Маньяки: культ убийства» banned in Russia. The eighth-grader allegedly communicated with them in thematic chat room.^[30]

On 19 March 2025, Dmitry Afanaskin, the father of the attacker, was sentenced to 1.8 years of correctional labor with 15% of his salary withheld in favor of the state. The court found him guilty of negligent possession of weapons, causing death and injury to minors. The court found that Afanaskin "failed to ensure the safety and security of weapons at his residence".^[31]

Bryansk school shooting

Shooting

Investigation

See also

References

External links

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