Faces of victims of the Crimea school massacre emerges as death toll rises to 21 (photos) ~ Crown Gist

Faces of victims of the Crimea school massacre emerges as death toll rises to 21 (photos)

Photos have been released to reveal the identity of the students and staff who lost their lives after a former student of a college in Crimea went on a shooting spree and set off a homemade bomb before killing himself yesterday.Vladislav Roslyakov, 18, stormed Kerch Polytechnic College wearing a t-shirt with the Russian word for "hatred" emblazoned on it. He then went around shooting people and also set off a bomb in the school's packed canteen. Eventually, he killed himself in the college library.

As of yesterday, the death toll was at 18, but it has now risen to 21. Five people are still in a coma and their condition has been described as "extremely grave".

The horrific scale of the college massacre became clear as the faces the young people slaughtered in the mass murder emerged today.Among the dead - mostly students aged between 15 and 19 - were a mother and daughter, Svetlana and Anastasia Baklanova, aged 57 and 26.

Acts of heroism also emerged, telling of the way teachers diverted Roslyakov’s attention during his attack on the annexed Black Sea peninsula. Teacher Vladislav Miroshnikov revealed adults at the college in port Kerch "sacrificed their lives" to allow students to flee amid scenes of panic.

Meanwhile, the politician appointed by Vladimir Putin as head of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, insisted Roslyakov was the sole perpetrator but the politician was shouted down by parents.They told

him: "You are lying! Our children say differently."Several eyewitness accounts from students suggested there was more than one gunman.See photos of some of the victims below.