Zamboanga school shooting leaves two students dead, including shooter
A shooting incident that took place at Ateneo de Zamboanga University on Aug. 18, has left two students dead.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso told DZBB Super Radyo that the shooter, a male student of AdZU, brought a high-powered firearm and a .45-caliber pistol to campus at around 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
The alleged shooter, who was in the ninth grade, reportedly wore a camera and livestreamed the incident, as per Olaso. A video circulated by local media showed the barrel of a gun moving down a hallway in the style of a first-person shooter game before being pointed into a classroom and fired.
The mayor said that the shooter first targeted a teacher, who was sitting at a desk. When the student was missed, he went into another classroom and shot at a Grade 7 student.
The alleged gunman later took his own life, Olaso confirmed.
The student's Facebook account has since been disabled.
Initial reports said that the incident only had two casualties: the shooter and the Grade 7 student. Two others were also injured. AdZU also confirmed the two casualties.
The teacher's status is still being determined.
Olaso has also suspended classes at the university this morning.
Situation 'under control'
Meanwhile, AdZU Junior High School issued a statement at 8:27 a.m. stating that the situation is now under control.
The university's grade school department, meanwhile, reported that all of its learners are safe and accounted for.
AdZU, in another statement, said that the safety of its students is the top priority.
"We have set up official communication channels and will relay these information to the public as soon as possible," it said.
The Department of Education has also expressed its concern over the reported incident.
"DepEd stands with the Ateneo de Zamboanga community during this difficult time and is ready to extend whatever support and assistance we can to the affected learners, families, school personnel, and concerned authorities,” it said in a statement.
"We are also coordinating with mental health partners to provide psychological first aid and psychosocial support to those affected."
DepEd also urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information, sensitive photos, videos, and details regarding the incident.
This school shooting comes two months after an incident in Tacloban, where two minors gunned down three teenage students and left 20 others wounded in June.
The Tacloban shooting has since led to the launch of active shooting drills in public schools. AdZU, a private school, was among the many schools across the country to conduct the said drills. (with reports from AFP)
