Gunman shoots and kills a teacher at a kindergarten in eastern Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — A gunman shot and killed a kindergarten teacher Wednesday inside a school building in eastern Thailand, where 44 children and three other teachers were evacuated safely, authorities said.

The shooting took place around 11 a.m. inside a building at the Nongplalai Municipal Kindergarten in Chonburi province, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of the capital Bangkok.

All 44 students were unharmed and evacuated along with the other teachers after the shooting, according to the Chonburi provincial government.

The shooter, who is believed to be the victim’s husband, fled the scene. His house was surrounded by police, officials said.

Thai media reports identified the suspect as a police officer at the nearby Bang Lamung station. The Chonburi Provincial Police office said the matter is still under investigation.

Chonburi Gov. Narit Niramaiwong ordered the school to be closed and mental health experts to be available to support the students and school staff, his office said.

School safety and gun violence in Thailand have come under scrutiny after a 14-year-old student opened fire at his high school and family home in August, killing eight people and injuring more than 20 before apparently taking his own life.

Earlier this month, a 14-year-old student was arrested after he fired several shots but failed to injure anyone at his school in Kamphaeng Phet province, 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Bangkok.

Calls for tighter controls on firearms have intensified and the national government has ordered a review of gun regulations, including suspension of new permits to purchase firearms and a review of existing permits.

Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia despite fairly restrictive gun laws. While mass shootings are still rare, Thailand has seen an uptick in high-profile attacks in recent years.