A student was killed in a shooting incident at a Catholic junior high school in Zamboanga City, Philippines, on Tuesday. A local official confirmed that the alleged shooter, a fellow student, later died by suicide.
The assailant reportedly brought a .45-caliber pistol into a classroom at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, according to Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso. The shooter initially fired at a teacher but missed. The suspect then moved to another classroom where the student was shot and subsequently died from their injuries. Authorities stated the situation was under control and there were no further active threats.
This incident follows a similar event in Tacloban City two months prior, where three students were killed and 20 others injured in a high school shooting. The suspects in that case were two teenage boys, one of whom was known to play a violent online game. The game, Gorebox, has since been banned in the Philippines, and the Senate is investigating the impact of violent computer games on young people. Authorities across Southeast Asia are also reviewing restrictions on social media use for minors due to potential negative effects. Earlier this month, a separate incident in Thailand saw a teenager kill eight people before taking his own life; authorities cited his consumption of violent content on social media as a contributing factor.