All employees of the school in Kazan, where the shooting took place, acted heroically and in a highly professional manner, shielding the children with themselves, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"All the students and employees of the school where the incident took place have undoubtedly experienced a real shock, and, of course, the children have been particularly hard hit by what happened, and they need special rehabilitation. What I would like to say in particular: both teachers and all employees of the school in a critical situation acted courageously, heroically, in the highest degree of professionalism to save the children as their own relatives, shielding them, as a very young girl, English teacher Elvira Ignatyeva did, sacrificing her life for her students," Putin said at a meeting with members of the government.
"I am asking for a proposal to present state awards to teachers and other employees of the school," Putin said at a meeting with members of the government.
The president noted that many teachers stood outside their classrooms in the terrible moments of the attack when shots were heard inside the building and were ready to fight and protect their students, helping them to get out and take shelter. "No one left their post. Everyone did their professional duty and human duty," he concluded.
The May 11 shooting at school No. 175 in Kazan killed seven children and two female teachers and left 23 others hospitalized, according to Tatarstan authorities. The head of the republic said that the shooting was carried out by a 19-year-old boy who had a gun officially registered in his name. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case of murder of two or more persons, the maximum penalty being life imprisonment. Later, Svetlana Petrenko, a representative of the Investigative Committee, said that Ilnaz Galyaviev, detained on suspicion of shooting, had detonated an improvised explosive device and used firearms at the entrance to the school. According to the court decision Galyaviev was arrested, he was charged, he admitted his guilt.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Egor Aleev / TASS
Based on materials from RIA Novosti