A ninth-grade student in the Philippines killed a tenth-grader and then himself during a shooting at a private school in Zamboanga City, authorities reported. The attacker wore a body camera and livestreamed the incident online as he entered two classrooms armed with a firearm. Two additional people were wounded in the attack.
Multiple videos circulated on social media following the tragedy, including footage showing students in an adjacent classroom barricading themselves in fear before fleeing the building. Another video captured moments during the shooting itself.
According to preliminary investigations, the shooter used a .40 caliber pistol issued to his father as part of his duties with the customs authority, along with another licensed personal firearm belonging to the parent. In the aftermath, the father was dismissed from his position with the customs service. The victim was found dead on the building's fourth floor, while the shooter's body was discovered on the fifth floor.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed law enforcement to investigate the circumstances and establish measures to prevent violence in educational institutions. "Our schools are where we entrust our children to learn, to grow, and to dream about the lives ahead of them. They must also be among the safest places in our country," the president stated.
The shooting triggered widespread panic, with numerous students evacuating the building. School administrators announced the suspension of classes. This marks the second school shooting in the country in less than two months, though such incidents remain rare in the Philippines.
