A tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday at the Ateneo de Zamboanga high school campus in the southern Philippines when a Grade 9 student, identified as Mohammad Mael Jalani, fatally shot a fellow student before taking his own life. The shooter livestreamed the attack using a body-worn camera, marking the second school shooting in the country within two months.
Amidst the chaos, hundreds of students were evacuated as gunshots echoed through the school building. The assailant initially targeted a teacher but missed, then proceeded to shoot a student on the fourth floor before committing suicide on the fifth floor.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla disclosed that the shooter broadcasted the attack on Facebook Live, capturing snippets of the violent incident. Investigations will delve into the perpetrator’s online activities, including gaming and chat histories, to ascertain the motive behind the tragedy.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso confirmed the shooter’s self-inflicted gunshot wound. The high school building, where the shooting occurred, is situated within a secure campus separate from the university’s primary facilities. Ateneo de Zamboanga, a renowned educational institution in the region, suspended classes in the wake of the tragic event.
Joe Darryl Jaron, who was at the school during the shooting, captured the panic and fear that gripped the students as they sought safety. Police later declared the situation to be under control, urging parents and guardians to follow the school’s directives for student pickup.
Authorities emphasized the importance of avoiding the spread of unverified information and images related to the incident. The national police chief, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., reassured the public of ongoing efforts to clarify the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Regarding the firearms used in the attack, one of the pistols belonged to the suspect’s father, a Bureau of Customs police commander. Deputy Commissioner Nolasco Bathan revealed that the father may face administrative repercussions for failing to securely store the government-issued firearm.
While the Philippines grapples with a prevalence of firearm-related crimes due to unlicensed weapons, school shootings remain infrequent. The recent incident occurred despite assurances from authorities to bolster security measures in educational institutions following a fatal shooting in Tacloban city in June, where three students were killed and many others injured.