Philippine Student Kills Schoolmate and Himself in Livestreamed Attack

A high school student carrying two pistols shot and killed a fellow student before dying by suicide Tuesday during an attack at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University campus in Zamboanga City, Philippines. According to police and interior officials, the suspect used a body-worn camera to livestream snippets of the violence on Facebook Live.

The shooting occurred inside the high school building of the privately owned Catholic university located in the southern Philippine port city, according to nypost.com. Hundreds of students were evacuated as authorities secured the campus.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla identified the suspect as a Grade 9 student named Mohammad Mael Jalani. According to Remulla, the student entered the building and began firing indiscriminately, initially shooting at a teacher sitting in front of a class who apparently was not hit.

The gunman then shot a Grade 10 student on the fourth floor of the building, according to interior and police officials. The victim’s identity has not been publicly released by authorities. Following the shooting, the suspect went to the fifth floor and jumped from the building, according to Remulla and Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso.

Two other people sustained injuries during the attack, police and city officials said. Authorities have not yet released detailed information regarding the conditions of the injured individuals.

Livestream and Investigation Underway

National police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated that authorities are actively establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident. Investigators are reviewing digital footprints to determine a motive for the campus attack.

He showed this on Facebook Live starting when he was climbing up the stairs but there were only snippets, Remulla told reporters, adding that investigators will examine the suspect’s gaming and chat history to complete a forensic analysis.

Police have urged parents and guardians to remain calm and follow school arrangements for picking up students. General Nartatez appealed to the public to refrain from sharing unconfirmed reports, photographs, or videos that could cause unnecessary concern.

Broader Context of Philippine Gun Violence

Tuesday’s violence marks the second fatal school shooting in the Philippines in two months. In June, a shooting in Tacloban City in the central Philippines left three high school students dead and at least 20 others wounded. Police arrested two students, aged 14 and 15, in connection with that attack.

While crimes involving firearms are prevalent across the Philippines due to the proliferation of unlicensed weapons, school shootings remain relatively rare. Following the June incident in Tacloban, authorities promised to strengthen security measures across schools nationwide and temporarily blocked an online gaming application.