Alina Afanaskina

On December 7, 2023, a mass shooting occurred at Bryansk school in Bryansk, Bryansk Oblast, Russia. One student was killed and five others were wounded before the shooter, Alina Afanaskina, committed suicide.

Shooting

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

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.

Afanaskina entered a biology classroom on the fourth floor and fired several shots. 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.

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

Investigation

Fourteen-year-old Alina Dmitrievna Afanaskina (; 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.

Afanaskina reportedly did not show signs of aggressive tendencies prior to the shooting. She performed well in school and was not known to misbehave. Teachers and students were describing Afanaskina as "quiet”, "calm” and "polite” person who had problems with communication with schoolmates; in general, she only interacted with her sister. 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”.

During the investigation, Afanaskina's father 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.

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. Some of the gymnasium’s students pointed out that she was a target of jokes due to her loner nature, while other witnesses denied it. 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.

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". The investigation of the shooting was taken control by Commissioner under the President of the Russian Federation for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova.

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).

On December 9, Larisa Katolikova, deputy director of Gymnasium No. 5, where the shooting took place, was detained. 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.

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

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.

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".

See also

Some other school shooting incidents in Russia:
* 2022 Izhevsk school shooting
* 2022 Veshkayma kindergarten shooting
* 2022 Krasnoyarsk kindergarten shooting
* 2021 Perm State University shooting
* 2021 Kazan gymnasium bombing and shooting
* 2019 Blagoveshchensk college shooting
* 2018 Kerch Polytechnic College bombing and shooting
* 2018 Barabinsk college shooting
* 2014 Moscow school shooting and hostage taking
* 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis
* 1997 Kamyshin military school shooting
Also:
* List of school shootings in Russia
* List of mass shootings in Russia
* List of attacks related to secondary schools
* List of school massacres by death toll

References

External links

*

Video

Обзор происшедшего телеканалом Хабар 24

Обзор происшедшего YouTube-каналом ГТРК "Брянск"

Обзор происшедшего YouTube-каналом ЛенТВ24

Причина стрельбы в гимназии. Обзор YouTube-каналом Новости 24

Обзор происшедшего YouTube-каналом Meduza
{{Mass shootings in Russia
2023 mass shootings in Europe
2023 murders in Russia
Deaths by firearm in Russia
School shootings in Russia
Mass shootings in Russia
School killings in Russia
Suicides by firearm in Russia
Murder–suicides in Russia
December 2023 in Russia
December 2023 crimes in Europe
Bryansk
History of Bryansk Oblast
Child murder in Russia
Murder committed by minors
School shootings committed by pupils
Attacks on schools in 2023
Mass shootings involving shotguns