Crimea College Attack: Investigators seek teenage gunman's motive

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01:52

Officials are trying to piece together the details of an attack on a school in Crimea, which has resulted in the deaths of 21 people. The assailant has been identified as an 18-year-old student of the school. Julia Chapman reports from Moscow.

This was the moment of an explosion at a school in Crimea. Panic broke out as a student set off an explosive device and began shooting his peers and teachers. Most of the people he killed were under the age of 18. Dozens remain in hospital, their relatives anxiously awaiting updates. The attacker has been named as 18-year-old Vladislav Roslyakov. Officials say he took his own life inside the school.

SERGEI AKSYONOV CRIMEAN PRIME MINISTER "The criminal was alone here. The investigation team is establishing whether or not he had accomplices. Here he acted alone. He bought the explosives and ammunition all by himself."

The attack took place in Kerch, a small city on the edge of the Crimean peninsula.

JULIA CHAPMAN MOSCOW "President Vladimir Putin has expressed his condolences to the victims' families and three days of mourning have been declared in Crimea. Here in Moscow, Russians are laying flowers and mourning for those who were killed."

"A big tragedy. Unfortunately, these things are unpredictable. Someone who unexpectedly loses their mind. It seems to be that these things are impossible to prevent. My condolences."

"Some people have big psychological problems and something needs to be done about that. It's not good. We mourn for those killed."

In Kerch, the search for answers is underway. Authorities are trying to establish what motivated the teenager to carry out such a brutal act, as the community confronts a huge loss. Julia Chapman, CGTN, Moscow.