student shot a classmate to death then killed himself at school in southern
Philippines,
mayor says 1 of 4 |
security guards keep watch as vehicles exit the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) 2 of 4 | A guard secures an area at the junior high school building on the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University campus following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) 3 of 4 | Vehicles exit the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) CORRECTION: Corrects date and day 4 of 4 |
police and
security guards secure a junior high school building on the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University campus following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) 1 of 4 |
security guards keep watch as vehicles exit the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) 1 of 4
security guards keep watch as vehicles exit the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 4 | A guard secures an area at the junior high school building on the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University campus following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) 2 of 4 A guard secures an area at the junior high school building on the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University campus following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 4 | Vehicles exit the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) CORRECTION: Corrects date and day 3 of 4 Vehicles exit the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) CORRECTION: Corrects date and day Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 4 |
police and
security guards secure a junior high school building on the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University campus following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) 4 of 4
police and
security guards secure a junior high school building on the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University campus following a
shooting incident in
Zamboanga, southern
Philippines Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. (
AP Photo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] MANILA,
Philippines (AP) — A high school
student carrying two firearms shot to death a fellow
student before killing himself Tuesday in a high school in a university campus in the southern
Philippines where hundreds of students were evacuated to safety, officials said.
Zamboanga city
mayor Khymer Adan Olaso said the suspect apparently wore a body camera to livestream the attack at the high school on the
Zamboanga-university" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="187527" data-entity-type="organization">Ateneo de
Zamboanga University campus in his city. Two other people were injured, he said.The suspect initially fired at a teacher but it was not clear if the teacher was hit. He then shot a fellow
student, who died, before
shooting himself, Olaso told DZBB radio network.Hundreds of students were evacuated to safety after the gunshots rang out in the high school building, which is in a secured campus, separate from a larger campus of the Catholic university, where its colleges and professional schools are located in the port city of
Zamboanga. A few hours after the
shooting,
police said the situation was under control. They asked parents and guardians of students to remain calm and follow the high school’s advice and arrangements to pick up their children.“Authorities are currently establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident,” national
police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said. The
police “will provide verified information as appropriate and appeals to the public to refrain from sharing unconfirmed reports, photos, or videos that may cause unnecessary concern.” 4 MIN READ 1 MIN READ 5 MIN READ The national
police “assure the public that the safety and well-being of the school community remain a priority. We thank the school administration, parents, guardians, and the community for their patience, cooperation and understanding as authorities continue to manage the situation,” Nartatez said. The
shooting happened despite
police assurances that security in schools across the country would be strengthened after a
shooting in June in which three high school students were killed and at least 20 others were wounded in central Tacloban city.
police arrested two students, ages 14 and 15, accused of carrying out that
shooting.Crimes involving the use of firearms are prevalent in the
Philippines, partly due to the proliferation of unlicensed firearms, but school shootings are relatively rare. Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul took steps to restrict guns in the Southeast Asian country after a 14-year-old boy killed his grandparents, five school staff members and a 12-year-old girl in Nonthaburi province outside Bangkok.Thailand’s high rate of gun ownership is second only to Pakistan in Asia, and far surpasses its Southeast Asian neighbors.Associated Press journalist Jintamas Sasornchai in Bangkok contributed to this report.