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At least six killed in Russian university shooting

A student armed with a hunting rifle opened fire at a university in the Russian city of Perm on Monday (September 20), killing at least six people and wounding many others, investigators said.

Video shown on news websites saw panicked students leaping from first-floor windows to escape Perm State University, around 800 miles east of Moscow.

"He started shooting when we were in the smoking area. When we realized what was happening, we started running inside, like a herd of sheep. He chased us to the entrance and we were just running away."

The gunman was wounded after resisting arrest, and was being treated in hospital, the Investigative Committee law enforcement agency said in a statement.

A university spokesperson had earlier said the shooter had been "liquidated" but later said he was in police custody.

Footage from the scene showed his body lying on the ground outside the university building.

The gunman was identified as a student at the university who had got hold of the hunting rifle in May, the Investigative Committee said.

Local media identified the gunman as an 18-year-old who had earlier posted an unverified photo of himself on social media, posing with a rifle, helmet, and ammunition.

The post indicated that his actions had nothing to do with politics or religion, but were motivated by hatred.

Russia has strict restrictions on civilian firearm ownership, but some categories of guns are available for purchase to those meeting specific requirements.