Culture & Entertainment · Singapore Bureau
Student kills classmate, then himself at Philippine school
A Grade 9 student opened fire at a Catholic university's high school campus in Zamboanga City, killing a classmate before turning the weapon on himself. The incident shocked the school community, with some students initially believing the shooting was part of a routine drill.
LSN Singapore ·
The fatal shooting occurred at the high school campus of a Catholic-affiliated university in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. The Grade 9 perpetrator shot and killed a fellow student before using the weapon on himself, according to school and law enforcement officials.
Witnesses reported confusion in the immediate aftermath of the incident, with some students and staff initially uncertain whether the gunshots were part of a scheduled safety drill. The misunderstanding highlighted the difficulty in distinguishing between emergency exercises and actual crises in an active school environment.
The incident has renewed concerns about school safety and access to firearms among young people in the Philippines. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the shooting and whether warning signs had been missed.
The Catholic university expressed condolences to the families of those involved and said it would provide support to students and staff affected by the tragedy. School officials indicated they would review safety protocols and emergency response procedures in the wake of the incident.