A student fatally shot a classmate and then died by suicide in a classroom at a school in Zamboanga City, Philippines, on Tuesday. The assailant live-streamed the attack through a body-worn camera, according to officials.
The incident occurred at a school affiliated with the privately run Ateneo de Zamboanga University. Preliminary police reports indicate the gunman brought a pistol and a rifle onto the campus and fired at students inside a classroom.
Footage circulated by local media, verified by Reuters, shows the attacker moving through a school corridor before entering a classroom and firing shots. The video, appearing to be filmed from the attacker's perspective, depicts students in uniform screaming and attempting to escape.
Officials confirmed that the attacker's Facebook account was disabled following the incident. The motive remains unclear, but a senior customs official stated that the pistol used was issued to the gunman's father, a customs official who has since been relieved of his duties. A second weapon recovered at the scene was a licensed firearm also owned by the father.
Police reported that the victim was a male Grade 10 student, while the gunman was a Grade 9 student. Two other individuals sustained injuries. The victim was found on the fourth floor of the school building, and the gunman was discovered dead on the fifth floor after taking his own life, according to city councilor Frederick Atilano.
Students were treated for injuries sustained during the panic to evacuate, but no other fatalities were reported, Atilano added. Classes have been suspended.
This shooting follows a similar incident in June at a public high school in Tacloban City, where two students opened fire, killing at least three classmates and injuring approximately 20 others. School shootings are uncommon in the Philippines, which has relatively strict gun ownership laws, though illegal firearms are in circulation.
The incident occurred 11 days after a shooting at a school on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, carried out by a student.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed law enforcement agencies to investigate the Zamboanga shooting and to propose measures to prevent future violence in schools. "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," Marcos said in a statement.