Philippine Student Kills Schoolmate, Dies By Suicide During Live-Streamed Shooting Rampage

A high school student killed a fellow student before taking his own life in a shooting at a school campus in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines on Tuesday, authorities said. The student reportedly carried two firearms and used a body-worn camera to livestream at least part of the attack. The incident prompted the evacuation of hundreds of students and marked the country's second fatal school shooting in two months. The shooting occurred at the high school building attached to Ateneo de Zamboanga University, a private Catholic institution in the southern port city.

Police identified the alleged shooter as a Grade 9 student. Authorities said he entered the building carrying firearms and opened fire before a Grade 10 student was fatally shot. Two other people were also injured during the incident, according to police and city officials. Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso said the student apparently wore a body camera and livestreamed the attack. Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said authorities would examine the student's online activity, including his gaming and chat history, as part of the investigation into the motive.

Officials cautioned that the circumstances surrounding the attack were still being established and urged the public not to circulate unverified material related to the shooting. The attack unfolded inside the school's five-storey building, which houses grade-school and junior-high students. Police said the victim was found on the fourth floor, while the shooter was later found dead on the fifth floor after taking his own life. Classes at the institution were suspended following the incident as authorities secured the campus and worked to account for students and staff. Authorities are also investigating how the student obtained the firearms.

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According to officials, one of the weapons was a government-issued firearm associated with his father, a Bureau of Customs police commander. A second weapon was reportedly a licensed personal firearm belonging to the father. The circumstances surrounding access to the weapons are expected to form part of the investigation. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered law-enforcement agencies to investigate the attack and determine measures to prevent similar incidents. He said schools should be among the safest places in the country for children to learn and grow.

The national police also appealed for calm while investigators worked to establish what led to the shooting. The shooting has renewed concerns about school safety and firearm access in the Philippines, where school shootings are relatively uncommon despite the circulation of illegal firearms. It follows a deadly attack at a public high school in Tacloban City in June, in which three students were killed and around 20 others were injured. The latest incident is likely to intensify calls for stronger safeguards around weapons and greater attention to warning signs among vulnerable students.

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