MOSCOW — While Crimean authorities searched for clues that might help explain why a teenager gunned down 20 people at his vocational school before killing himself, the stunned city of Kerch prepared to say farewell to the victims.

Thousands of residents were expected to attend the funerals of most of the victims Friday. The burials are taking place in mainland Russia, which annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Little information has emerged about the 18-year-old gunman, Vladislav Roslyakov. Authorities said they were investigating if he had an accomplice in Wednesday’s shotgun massacre at Kerch Polytechnic College.

Teachers and classmates have described him as a shy person with few friends. A computer taken from the home where Roslyakov lived with his parents revealed little, a Crimean official said Thursday.

“When they did a search and saw the computer, all information, messages and such had been deleted,” Crimean human rights ombudswoman Lyudmila Lubina was quoted as saying by Russian news agency Tass.

Roslyakov was initially described as the only person involved in the carnage at the school. But Sergei Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed head of Crimea, told Russian news agencies Thursday it’s still possible the student had help.

“The point is to find out who was coaching him for this crime,” Aksyonov said.

“He was acting on his own here, we know that. But this scoundrel could not have prepared this attack on his own, in my opinion, and according to my colleagues,” Aksyonov said.

« Previous

‘Cobots’ are here to help workers do their job, not replace them

Next »

Indonesia drops disinfectant on earthquake sites