On 11 May 2021, a school shooting and bomb attack occurred in Kazan, Tatarstan, in the western part of Russia.^[5] Nine people (seven 8th-grade students and two teachers) were murdered,^[1][6] and 23 others were injured.^[2] The 19-year-old shooter, Ilnaz Galyaviev, was identified as a former student.^[7] He pleaded guilty to the murder of two or more persons on 12 May and was sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2023.^[8]

The mass shooting occurred at Gymnasia No. 175 (Russian: Гимназия № 175), a school in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia, which had 714 students and 70 employees present at the time.^[9] Before the shooting, Ilnaz Galyaviev had visited the school unarmed, but was not allowed in.^[10] At 9:24 a.m. MSK (6:24 UTC),^[11] Galyaviev was stopped at the main entrance by a security system requiring a card.^[12][13] Galyaviev opened fire when the school worker attempted to stop him from entering. The wounded worker managed to press a panic button at 9:25, triggering an alarm in the school and alerting law enforcement.^[9][10][12] The alarm alerted teachers in the building, allowing them to lock down their classrooms.^[14] A radio communication was also sent out in the building, calling for teachers to close their classrooms.^[15]

Next, Galyaviev moved to different classrooms, which were closed due to the radio announcement, and shot at people in the halls, killing a teacher.^[4][10] Galyaviev then set off an improvised explosive device near the first-floor English-language room before moving to the second floor, reloading his weapon in a bathroom and killed another teacher.^{[4][13][16][17]} Galyaviev then moved to the third floor, going into classroom 310 and killing seven students.^[18] Up to 17 shots were fired during the shooting.^[3][4] Galyaviev then moved to different classrooms on the third floor, all of which were locked.^[10] Galyaviev, now having run out of ammunition, attempted to leave the school, just as law enforcement arrived at 9:33.^[10][11] The school was evacuated within twenty minutes.^[13]

Video footage inside and outside the school was posted to social media; it appeared to show students using classroom windows to escape, school corridors littered with personal belongings, and a man detained by police.^[19]

Firefighters rescued 23 people on the third floor of the school.^[12]

Nine people were killed during the shooting: seven were eighth-grade students^[9] and two were teachers.^[1] One student of the school committed suicide in the aftermath of the shooting.^[20][21]

The injured were 20 students ranging from 7 to 15 years old and three adults.^[2] At least seven wounded students were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.^[22] A Ministry of Emergency Situations Ilyushin Il-76 transported nine injured, including five students, from Kazan to Zhukovsky. After landing, the injured were transferred in ambulances to Moscow.^[23][24] One student was put on an artificial ventilator after surgery.^[25]

Ilnaz Renatovich Galyaviev (Tatar: Илназ Галәвиев; Russian: Ильназ Ренатович Галявиев; born 11 September 2001),^[26] a 19-year-old resident of Kazan, was detained.^[27] Galyaviev graduated from Gymnasia No. 175 in 2017^[13][26][28] and was expelled from the college of TISBI, a management academy in Kazan, in April 2021.^[26] He had no previous criminal record.^[29] On the morning of the shooting, Galyaviev posted a photo on Telegram of himself in a face mask with the word 'God' in Russian written on it, captioned, "Today I will kill a huge amount of biowaste and shoot myself."^[26][30]

Galyaviev had planned for the shooting to take place on 6 May. However, a non-working day was declared by President Putin, which closed the school until 11 May.^[4]

A psychological and psychiatric mental evaluation of Galyaviev is planned which will take at least two months.^[31] Galyaviev had previously sought mental health treatment and testing revealed some cerebral atrophy a year before the shooting,^[3] though he was not registered with a psychiatrist.^[32] Relatives had also noticed an increase in Galyaviev's aggressive behavior.^[33] However, while in court on 12 May, Galyaviev denied having any serious illnesses.^[34]

The Hatsan Escort PS Guard semi-automatic shotgun reportedly used by Galyaviev was officially registered on 14 April, two days after Galyaviev received a permit to carry weapons. In addition, Galyaviev researched bomb recipes on the Internet. He made two bombs, leaving one in his apartment and bringing the second to the school.^[10]

While in custody, Galyaviev said he planted a bomb at his registered address.^[9] However, during a search of the location, no explosives were found, and evidence was taken.^[10][12][35]

All second-shift classes in Kazan were cancelled,^[13] and the entrances to Kazan schools were restricted.^[43] Several schools in Moscow were searched with dogs, although nothing was found.^[44] All students who attend Gymnasia No. 175 are planned to return to school on 17 May in neighboring schools while the school undergoes repairs.^[45] After their arrival at the school, a counter-terrorism operation (CTO) regime was established. It was later removed at 15:47.^[27] In addition, 12 May was declared a day of mourning. Cultural and entertainment events were cancelled for 11 and 12 May.^[12]

Tatarstan authorities sent a 1 million rubles (US$13578) payment to each family of the deceased.^[46][47] Six victims with major bodily harm have received 400 thousand rubles (US$5431) each,^[46] with plans to send payments of between 200–400 thousand rubles to more families of the injured.^[48] In addition, the Russian Red Cross Society raised 62,777,390 rubles (US$852375) for the victims of the shooting.^[49]

• Kerch Polytechnic College massacre
• Perm State University shooting
• Izhevsk school shooting
• List of massacres in Russia
• List of school massacres by death toll