MANILA, Aug 18: A high school student armed with two pistols shot dead a fellow student before dying by suicide in an attack at a school campus in the southern Philippines on Tuesday, officials said.
The incident took place at the Ateneo de Zamboanga university campus in Zamboanga city. The student reportedly livestreamed parts of the attack using a body-worn camera. Two other people were also injured, while hundreds of students were evacuated from the campus.
Police identified the suspect as Grade 9 student Mohammad Mael Jalani. According to an initial police report, he fired at a teacher seated in front of a classroom but apparently missed before shooting a Grade 10 student on the fourth floor.
He then went to the fifth floor and died by suicide, officials said.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the suspect had shown parts of the incident on Facebook Live while climbing the stairs. Authorities said they would examine his gaming and chat history as part of the investigation.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso and police officials confirmed that the suspect had shot himself.
Authorities later said the situation was under control and urged parents and guardians to remain calm and follow the school's arrangements for collecting students.
National police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr said authorities were investigating the circumstances of the attack and appealed to the public not to share unverified information, photographs or videos.
The shooting comes about two months after another deadly school shooting in the Philippines. In June, three high school students were killed and at least 20 others injured in a shooting in Tacloban city. Two students, aged 14 and 15, were arrested in connection with that incident.
School shootings remain relatively uncommon in the Philippines despite the widespread availability of firearms and concerns over unlicensed weapons.
The latest attack also comes less than two weeks after a deadly school shooting in Thailand, where authorities subsequently moved to tighten gun controls.
