Student shoots fellow pupil dead in Catholic school; suspect takes own life

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:45:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A tragic shooting at a junior high school in Zamboanga City leaves a student dead and the suspect found dead; authorities investigate firearms and viral content.

In Zamboanga City, a junior high student was shot dead by a peer who later committed suicide. The perpetrator brought a .45‑calibre pistol into the classroom, first aimed at a teacher and then at a fellow student. Live‑stream footage of the incident has been shared online, sparking concerns over violent media. The event follows a similar high‑school shooting in Tacloban two months earlier, prompting scrutiny of violent games and social media use among minors.

Student shoots fellow pupil dead in Catholic school; suspect takes own life

Students scattered at the gate of Ateneo de Zamboanga junior high school after a shooting — People crowd outside the gate of the Ateneo de Zamboanga junior high school where a shooting left two students dead (Reuters)

A student at a Catholic junior high school in southern Philippines was shot dead by a fellow student, who later took his own life. Local authorities confirmed the incident on Tuesday.

The alleged shooter reportedly brought a .45‑calibre pistol into a classroom, fired at a teacher without hitting her, then moved to a different room and killed another student. The weapon was retrieved from the victim's body after they were pronounced dead. The suspect was found dead by suicide shortly after.

Live‑stream footage circulated by local media showed a first‑person view of the shooting’s aftermath, including a gun barrel moving down a hallway, according to AFP.

Authorities confirmed the situation was contained and there were no active shooters remaining.

The tragedy follows a high‑school shooting in Tacloban two months ago that killed three and wounded 20, where the shooters were teenage boys who had played a violent online game, which is now banned in the Philippines.

Officials are scrutinising the impact of violent videography and social media on minors, and similar incidents have also been reported in Thailand, where a child‑aged killer was linked to violent content on social platforms.