At least one person has been killed and three others injured after an 19-year-old student opened indiscriminate fire at his classmates – and then killed himself – at a college in Russia's Far Eastern city of Blagoveshchensk.

Armed with a shotgun, the attacker opened fire in his own class, seriously injuring several people, one of whom succumbed to his injuries. When police arrived at the scene, the gunman refused to surrender and turned the gun on himself.

“The bodies of two people, including the attacker, were discovered at the scene,” police have confirmed. “Three more people were injured in the shooting at a college. Those injured include two teenagers and a young man," the local health ministry said earlier.

The perpetrator committed suicide, using his own gun.

The gun was legally obtained and registered to the shooter himself, authorities said, although it was not immediately clear what type of weapon was used. Russia’s tight firearms regulation allows private citizens older than 18 to obtain gun licenses for self-defense, sports, and hunting, as well as for collectors.

Благовещенск. Страшная трагедия сегодняшнего дня pic.twitter.com/GglIpuEa4P — Александр Лимонов (@Kislenky) November 14, 2019

The area is still cordoned off by police, according to videos from the scene captured by eyewitnesses.

Investigators are yet to establish exact motives behind the attack, but initial reports suggest the shooting might’ve been triggered by an argument and personal animosity between classmates. Other unconfirmed reports alleged the attacker had been kicked out of class for being late – but then returned with a weapon and opened fire.

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