Philippines school shooting livestreamed by student before suicide

ZAMBOANGA, Philippines: A school in the southern Philippines was plunged into panic on Tuesday after a Grade 9 student opened fire inside classrooms, killing a fellow student before taking his own life, authorities said. The attack was reportedly livestreamed through a body-worn camera, adding a disturbing dimension to an incident that has renewed concerns over school safety in the country.

The shooting occurred at a school attached to the privately run Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga city. According to a preliminary police report, the student entered the campus carrying a pistol and a rifle before firing inside two classrooms.

Zamboanga Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso said authorities confirmed that the attack had been livestreamed. Reuters said it verified footage showing the shooter entering one classroom and opening fire before switching weapons and moving to another classroom.

Police identified the victim as a male Grade 10 student. The gunman, who was a Grade 9 student, later died by suicide. Two other people were wounded, while several students suffered injuries as they attempted to flee the building during the chaos. Classes were subsequently suspended.

The motive behind the attack remained unclear. Officials said one of the weapons was a .40-caliber pistol issued by the Bureau of Customs to the shooter’s father, who is a customs official and has since been relieved of his post. A second firearm recovered from the scene was reportedly a licensed weapon belonging to the father.

The incident prompted an immediate response from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who ordered law enforcement agencies to investigate the shooting and examine measures to prevent violence in schools.

“Our schools are where we entrust our children to learn, to grow and to dream about the lives ahead of them,” Marcos said, stressing that schools should be among the safest places in the country.

The school occupies an approximately eight-hectare site and includes facilities for grade school and junior high school students. Videos verified by Reuters showed students rushing from the campus as gunshots could be heard in the background.

Tuesday’s attack comes less than two months after another school shooting in the Philippines. In June, at least three students were killed and about 20 others injured when two students opened fire at a public high school in Tacloban City.

School shootings remain relatively uncommon in the Philippines, which has regulations covering firearm ownership, including background checks and psychological evaluations. However, officials continue to face challenges from the circulation of illegal firearms.

The Zamboanga shooting also came less than 10 days after a student shooting rampage at a school near Bangkok, highlighting growing regional concerns over violence involving young people and the urgent need for stronger safeguards in educational institutions.