Wikipedia

Vladislav Roslyakov

A 4th-year student of the Kerch Polytechnic College, who staged a massacre at the Kerch Polytechnic College on October 17, 2018. As a result of the shooting explosion, 21 people were killed and 67 people were injured.

Vladislav Igorevich Roslyakov (Russian: Владисла́в И́горевич Росляко́в, 2 May 2000 - 17 October 2018) was a Russian college student and mass murderer responsible for the Kerch Polytechnic College massacre on October 17, 2018, Roslyakov killed 20 people and wounded 67 others before subsequently committing suicide. It was the deadliest school shooting in the former Soviet Union since the 2004 Beslan school siege.[3] He was 18 years old at the time of the massacre.[4]

Vladislav Roslyakov
Владисла́в Росляко́в
Roslyakov in the Sokol gun store, four days before the attack[1]
Born
Vladislav Igorevich Roslyakov

(2000-05-02)May 2, 2000
Kerch, Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine
DiedOctober 17, 2018(2018-10-17) (aged 18)
Kerch, Republic of Crimea, Russia (de facto)
Cause of deathSelf-inflicted gunshot wound to the head
CitizenshipUkraine (2000-2014) Russia (2014-2018)
Alma materKerch Polytechnic College
OccupationStudent
Known forSole perpetrator of the Kerch Polytechnic College Massacre
Height187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
ParentIgor Roslyakov
Details
Date17 October 2018
11:40 (UTC+3:00)
Location(s)Kerch Polytechnic College
Target(s)Students and staff of Kerch Polytechnic College; first responders
Killed20
Injured67
Weapons

Early Life and Background

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Vladislav Igorevich Roslyakov was born on 2 May, 2000. He grew up in the rural exurb of Kerch known as Arshintsevo. His family called him Vladik. Roslyakov was raised in the home of his paternal grandparents by his father, Igor. His mother worked as an orderly at the hospital in Kerch and was paid low. Igor was a former soldier who had served in Afghanistan for several years. The experience there left him brain damaged so he began collecting disability payments, and also struggled with alcoholism. Igor went as far as to threaten their neighbours with a sword. When Roslyakov was around ten years old, his parents broke up, due to his father becoming abusive towards Roslyakov, his mother and other relatives.[5][6] Roslyakov studied at a local school with no interest and poor grades. He had few friends and his hobbies included weapons and video games.[7]

In 2015 he joined the college to study to become an electrician. In college he developed an interest in explosives and weapons and started to take a knife bayonet to class.[8] One day he discharged pepper spray in a class and failed to explain his actions.[9] His mother, a Jehovah's Witness,[10][11][12] limited his social activity, searched his pockets and refused to allow him to go to the cinema or use a computer, only allowing the latter when he turned 16.[12][13][14][15]

In the days leading up to the attack, Roslyakov stated that he did not believe in the afterlife.[16] On the eve of the attack, according to neighbours, Roslyakov burned a Bible in which he had highlighted verses, along with his mobile phone, and other books.[17]

A friend has claimed that Roslyakov "hated the polytechnic very much" and had vowed revenge on his teachers.[18] There were also reports that he may have been bullied.[19] In the days before the attack he discussed ignorance by others, the lack of purpose in his life, mass shootings and suicide on social media.[16] Roslyakov was in a number of online communities dedicated to serial killers.[20]

Allegedly Roslyakov stole money from his grandmother to help pay for his ammunition for the attack.

Massacre

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See the main article: Kerch Polytechnic College massacre
 
Roslyakov on a surveillance camera on the day of the shooting

Roslyakov purchased a shotgun on 8 September 2018 and bought 150 rounds legally at a gun shop on 13 October 2018.[21][22] He entered the grounds of Kerch Polytechnic College on 17 October 2018 at about 10:02 a.m.[23][24] A survivor of the incident said that the shooting lasted for more than 15 minutes.[25]

Multiple witnesses recounted an individual gunman strolling through the corridors of Kerch Polytechnic College, discharging shots indiscriminately at classmates and teachers. He also fired at computer monitors, locked doors, and fire extinguishers.[26] A large nail-bomb[27] was detonated during the attack, and local police said that they deactivated more explosives on the campus.[28] However, there was initially variation in survivors' accounts of the incident, with some claiming that a large bomb exploded and others describing only gunfire and the use of grenades.[29]

 
Emergency services respond to the massacre

The town website claimed that the explosion occurred on the first floor although the shooting occurred on the second.[source?] CNN reported that state television channel Russia-24 said that 200 military personnel had been sent to the location.[30] Eyewitness accounts differ about the time it took for law enforcement to respond, as times differ between 10 and 15 minutes[29] even though a police station is across the street, within 300 metres (980 ft) of the college.[23] The massacre ended when the gunman committed suicide in the college's library.

External video
  Russia: Hear Moment of Shooting as Kerch College Attack Unfolds *EXCLUSIVE*

Graphic video footage of the attack was captured by school surveillance cameras and later posted on both the news programme Vesti.Krym's YouTube channel and on its website. This footage was removed from both sites shortly afterwards.[31]

Fatalities
Ksenia Boldina (17)
Vladislav Verdibozhenko (15)
Victoria Demchuk (16)
Ruden Juraev (16)
Anna Zhuravleva (19)
Alina Kerova (16)
Alexey Lavrinovich (19)
Egor Perepelkin (17)
Vladislav Lazarev (19)
Ruslan Lysenko (17)
Roman Karymov (21)
Danil Pipenko (16)
Sergey Stepanenko (15)
Nikita Florensky (16)
Daria Chegerest (16)
Anastasia Baklanova (26)
Svetlana Baklanova (57)
Larisa Kudryavtseva (62)
Olexander Moiseenko (46)
Lyudmila Ustenko (65)
Vladislav Roslyakov (18) (perpetrator)

Surveillance footage of the incident shows Roslyakov wearing black trousers and a white T-shirt emblazoned with the Russian word "НЕНАВИСТЬ" ("HATRED") as he carries an eight-shot 12 gauge Hatsan Escort Aimguard pump-action shotgun with a pistol grip. His clothing resembled that of Eric Harris, one of the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, leading to speculation that the massacre was a copycat crime. According to some Russian tabloids, he had been a member of various Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold fanclubs on social networks, and had informed friends of his belief that "it would be good to have a massacre", specifically referencing Columbine High School massacre as an example. Furthermore, he had mentioned his belief in the two perpetrators being "awesome" Like perpetrator Eric Harris.

 
Bomb explosion in the dining room

Suicide

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Around noon, Roslyakov entered the library for the last time. He turned tables and fired randomly while inside the library, Roslyakov committed suicide in the library of the college, by shooting himself with his shotgun Roslyakov fell in a similiar fetal position to Eric Harris. Later Roslyakov was moved and searched by the police. One of the policemen recorded a video of Roslyakov's corpse in the library.

Afterwards, he was brought in for forensic exhamination and autopsy. Three different exhaminations were done on the killer's body,

Motive

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Roslyakov's motive is unknown. Though, it was apparent that he had suicidal and homicidal thoughts - he admitted that he saw no perspectives in life and he wanted to shoot the college students, because to him, they were nothing but "hobos, whores and future suicides". Roslyakov expressed his distaste towards people participating in the "rat race" culture - he saw no sense in working extremely hard for insignificant pleasures in life. Roslyakov also felt like his family had overwhelming expectations, that they wanted to take control over his life and make it whatever they wanted it to be.

Roslyakov's attack could also be a Copycat Crime, as he was inspired by the 1999 Columbine massacre, detonated an improvised explosive device in the college cafeteria, then embarked on a shooting rampage. On the day of the attack, he wore black jeans and a white t-shirt with a slogan, copying Eric Harris, one of the Columbine killers.

The attacker ultimately committed suicide at the college library, just as his predecessors did 25 years before. A total of 21 people died, including 16 students and five teachers, and 67 people were injured.

Reaction of Galina Roslyakova

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Roslyakov's mother Galina Roslyakova, was a nurse in Kerch Cancer Clinic where some victims of her son's violence were brought, was said to have been among those who provided first aid to victims. She is understood to have tried to jump out of a window, but officers stopped her. On October 18, during the search of their home she had a heart attack and ambulance took her out. After that she spent in psychiatric clinic for a few weeks under guard of Rosgvardia (police security forces). Roslyakov's father was in a clinic, his psychological state worsened after the massacre.

Legacy

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Roslyakov was cremated and buried under a false name, on November 28.

Roslyakov's Massacre would inspire numourous copycats For example, on 28 May 2019, a student in Volsk, Saratov Region, Russia committed an attack with an axe and Molotov Cocktails, which left a girl seriously wounded. The attacker, 15-year-old Daniil Pulkin, was obsessed with Roslyakov. Daniil showed up to the school wearing a black t-shirt with the word "разочарование" "disappointment" in red with the same font as Roslyakov's "Hatred" t-shirt.[32][33] In August 2020, the minor was sentenced to seven years in prison in a juvenile hall.[34]

Reactions and Impact

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Crimean Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov announced that there would be four days of mourning. Crimean State Council speaker Vladimir Konstantinov said that it was impossible to conceive that Roslyakov had prepared the attack by himself saying "On the ground, he acted alone, that is already known and established, but in my opinion and in the opinion of my colleagues this reprobate could not have carried out the preparations."[35]

Sergei Mikhailovich Smirnov, deputy head of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), said the security services needed to have greater control over the Internet.[35][36] Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi that the attack appeared to be the result of globalisation, social media and the internet, and that "everything started with the tragic events in schools in the US...we're not creating healthy (Internet) content for young people...which leads to tragedies of this kind."[27][37][38][39] Some saw the remarks to be a part of Russians blaming the West for the attack and a linkage with his past as head of the Kremlin and FSB before becoming president which The Irish Times said are "suspicious of the internet and social media, seeing them as western-dominated technologies that can be used to stir up dissent and street protests."[36][39][40]

Russian political analyst Sergey Mikheyev on Russian state TV blamed the attack on "Western subculture", claiming that it "builds its matrix on the cult of violence...the one who has a weapon in his hands is right. This is a purely American approach to the matter."[39] Some media saw the remarks to be a part of Russians blaming the West for the attack.[39][40]

Leaders of several countries expressed their condolences to the victims of the attack, including Armenia,[41] Estonia, Finland, Germany,[42] Italy, Thailand, the UK,[43] and Venezuela. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko expressed condolences to the victims, whom he described as Ukrainian citizens, stating that the Prosecutor General's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea had initiated criminal proceedings under the article "Act of terrorism".[44][nb 1] The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland and Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres also expressed condolences.[46][47]

Some newspapers described the attack as "Russia's Columbine", a reference to the 1999 US high school massacre.[37][38][48] Steven Rosenberg said the attack should not be surprising as he noted there had already been five attacks in schools in Russia in 2018 where a number of children were injured.[27] A Telegraph article also claimed there had been half a dozen school attacks in Russia in 2018, although claiming the previous incidents involved knives and traumatic pistols rather than high-powered firearms.[38]

 
A procession of mourners attend a memorial to the victims on 19 October

Notes

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  1. ↑ Ukraine does not recognise the March 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia and sees Crimea as its territory.[44][45]

References

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  1. ↑ "CCTV footage shows Crimea mass killing suspect buying shotgun shells". WIONews. WIONews. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Ружье "для самообороны" и картечь на волка – стало известно, какое оружие использовал "Керченский стрелок"" [Shotgun "for self-defense" and buckshot to hunt the wolf - it became known what weapon the "Kerch shooter" used]. Dialog.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  3. ↑ Satter, David (13 November 2006). "The Truth About Beslan". The Weekly Standard. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
  4. ↑ "Теракт в колледже Керчи устроил Владислав Росляков". Moskovskij Komsomolets (in Russian). 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  5. ↑ Degtyaryov, Alexey (18 October 2018). "Соседи керченского стрелка рассказали о жестокости его отца". Vzglyad (in Russian). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  6. ↑ "Мать «керченского стрелка» попала в больницу с сердечным приступом". В городе N (in Russian). 19 October 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Стали известны детали биографии "керченского стрелка" и его вероятный мотив". Novye Izvestia (in Russian). 17 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  8. ↑ Kozurov, Dmitry (17 October 2018). "Носил на лекции нож и играл в "стрелялки": что известно о подростке, устроившем взрыв в керченском колледже". Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  9. ↑ Morozova, Vasilisa (18 October 2018). "Керченскому стрелку назначили посмертную психиатрическую экспертизу" (in Russian). Zvezda. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  10. ↑ Korelina, Olga. "Массовое убийство в керченском колледже. Что стало известно к 18 октября". Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-10-23.
  11. ↑ Mayorov, Anatoly (21 October 2018). "Трагедия в Керчи: как убийца готовился к расстрелу". NTV.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Bilibov, Aleksandr (20 October 2018). "Керченского убийцу окружали адепты тоталитарных сект". Vesti.Ru (in Russian). Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  13. ↑ ""Росляков не собирался убивать себя": Психолог пошагово разобрал действия керченского стрелка" (in Russian). Tsargrad TV. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  14. ↑ Basov, Vasily (17 October 2018). "Рок и ненависть. Что известно о керченском стрелке Владиславе Рослякове, устроившем бойню в колледже". MediaLeaks (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  15. ↑ "Мать под влиянием "Свидетелей Иеговы" обыскивала сына: Подробности жизни керченского стрелка" (in Russian). Tsargrad TV. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Kozurov, Dmitry; Martynova, Alyona (18 October 2018). ""Круто было бы устроить бойню": керченский стрелок рассказывал друзьям о своих планах атаки на колледж". Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian). Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  17. ↑ "Керченский убийца накануне бойни сжег Библию". Ren.tv (in Russian). 19 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  18. ↑ "Crimea attack: Gun attack at Kerch college kills 19". BBC News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  19. ↑ "Inspired by Columbine But Driven by Bullies". Meduza. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  20. ↑ "Был бы дробовик". Krymskaya Gazeta (in Russian). 17 October 2018. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  21. ↑ "Законно ли у Влада Рослякова было оружие? Законно" [Was Vladimir Roslyakov's weapon legal? Yes, it was.] (in Russian). Mash. 17 October 2018 – via VKontakte.
  22. ↑ Beresnev, Valery; Kolebakina-Usmanova, Yelena; Gavrilenko, Aleksandr (18 October 2018). ""У кого-то ногу разорвало, у кого-то – голову": откуда взялся "керченский стрелок – Химик"". Business Online (in Russian). Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Kravtsova, Irina (19 October 2018). "'How were we supposed to know what was in his head?' Life in Kerch, a day after a school massacre rocked the city". Meduza. Translated by Rothrock, Kevin. Retrieved 2018-10-19.
  24. ↑ "Crimean College Shooting: What We Know So Far". The Moscow Times. Reuters. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  25. ↑ "At least 17 killed in attack on college in Russian-annexed Crimea". CBS News. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  26. ↑ Kurdyukova, Anastasia (21 October 2018). "Опубликована видеозапись нападения на керченский колледж: как Росляков устроил бойню". Komsomolskaya Pravda (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 "Crimea attack: College shooting is 'globalisation' result". BBC News. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  28. ↑ Roth, Andrew (17 October 2018). "Crimea college attack: student carries out mass shooting in Kerch". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Reevell, Patrick (18 October 2018). "Russia investigates whether student who killed 20 in Crimean college 'mass murder' acted alone". ABC News. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  30. ↑ Hodge, Nathan; Burrows, Emma; Tarasova, Darya; Britton, Bianca (18 October 2018). "20 killed in Crimea college gun and bomb attack, Russia says". CNN. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  31. ↑ ""Вести.Крым" опубликовали видео, снятое камерами наблюдения во время стрельбы в политехническом колледже в Керчи. 18+. Обновлено". Novaya Gazeta (in Russian). 21 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  32. ↑ "7th grader who attacked school attempts to commit suicide". Crime Russia. May 25, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  33. ↑ "Russian Teenager Attacks Classmate With Axe, Cites Past School Shootings – Reports". The Moscow Times. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
  34. ↑ "Russian Teenager Gets Seven Years For Firebomb, Ax Attack On School". Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Antonov, Mikhail (18 October 2018). "Putin blames fatal college attack in Crimea on localization". Reuters. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 McLaughlin, Daniel (18 October 2018). "Kremlin blames globalisation and internet for Crimea college massacre". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Tidey, Alice (18 October 2018). "Putin blames 'globalisation' for Crimea school shooting". Euronews. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 "Putin says Crimean school shooting result of 'globalisation'". Telegraph.co.uk. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 Quinn, Rob (19 October 2018). "Russians Blame 'Western Subculture' for School Massacre". Newser. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Cite error: The named reference Chancecnn was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
  41. ↑ "Armenia acting PM: We strongly condemn this act of violence". news.am. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  42. ↑ "Меркель выразила соболезнования в связи с трагедией в Керчи". RBC.ru (in Russian). 17 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  43. ↑ "FCO Statement on the attack at Kerch Polytechnic College in Crimea". GOV.UK. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 "Poroshenko: Crimea's PGO initiates criminal proceedings following terrorist attack in Kerch". UNIAN. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  45. ↑ Gutterman, Steve; Polityuk, Pavel (18 March 2014). "Putin signs Crimea treaty, will not seize other Ukraine regions". Reuters. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  46. ↑ "World expresses condolences over Kerch college shooting in Crimea". TASS. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  47. ↑ "UN secretary general expresses condolences to families of victims in college shooting". TASS. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
  48. ↑ "Crimea mourns victims of school massacre". TheNational.ae. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
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