Two students were killed, including the suspected gunman, in a shooting at a high school in southern Philippines on Tuesday, according to local police.
Authorities said that a Grade 9 student brought both a pistol and a rifle onto the campus and fired at students inside a classroom at a school in Zamboanga City. He then reportedly killed himself.
The victim who died was a male Grade 10 student, police said.
The school is attached to the privately run Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) and serves grade-school and junior-high students.
Zamboanga City mayor Khymer Adan Olaso said that the suspect apparently wore a body camera and live-streamed the attack. The suspect’s Facebook account has since been disabled. Two other people were injured, he said.
The suspect initially fired at a teacher, although it was unclear whether the teacher was hit. He then shot a fellow student, who died, before killing himself, Mr Olaso reportedly told DZBB radio network.
The shooter used a “high-powered firearm”, the mayor said.
Mr Olaso told ANC that the shooter was a “very bright student” and a “Roblox fanatic”. The online gaming platform has recently come under increased scrutiny in the Philippines over child safety concerns, including sexual grooming and the potential radicalisation of minors by violent extremists, The Rappler reported.
Hundreds of students were evacuated from the school after gunshots rang out inside one of its buildings, which is located on a secured campus separate from the university’s larger campus with colleges and professional schools.
Police spokesperson Shella Chang told AFP news agency: “The investigation is ongoing… We are still trying to identify the motive.”
“Authorities are currently establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident,” national police chief Gen Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr said.
The police “will provide verified information as appropriate and appeals to the public to refrain from sharing unconfirmed reports, photos, or videos that may cause unnecessary concern.”
The national police “assure the public that the safety and well-being of the school community remain a priority. We thank the school administration, parents, guardians, and the community for their patience, cooperation and understanding as authorities continue to manage the situation,” Mr Nartatez said.
All classes at the AdZU were suspended following the incident.
The shooting comes less than two months after another school shooting in the Philippines. In June, two students opened fire at a public high school in Tacloban City, killing at least three students and injuring around 20 others.
