Shooting at Philippine High School Leaves 3 Students Dead, 7 Injured

Two Students Open Fire in Multiple Classrooms
Police Investigate Motive behind Shooting

At a high school in central Philippines, two students opened fire with guns, resulting in the deaths of three fellow students and injuries to seven others.

According to the Associated Press on June 22 (local time), a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old student armed with handguns carried out the shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Leyte Province, central Philippines, that morning, leaving three students dead and seven injured.

Students are seen in shock immediately after the shooting incident that occurred on the 22nd (local time) at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Philippines. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The two suspects were arrested immediately after the incident. Both the suspects and the victims have been confirmed as students of the same school. Police officials stated that an investigation is ongoing at the school where the incident occurred.

The police are investigating the motive for the crime. However, it was reported that, according to preliminary investigations, the suspects claimed to have been bullied at school. Police have not released further details.

Neither suspect has a prior criminal record. It has been determined that one of them used a 9mm handgun belonging to his aunt, who is a police officer. This police officer is also currently under investigation. The other suspect used a .38-caliber revolver.

A police official explained, "Only one security guard was responsible for several entrances and corridors of the school, which allowed the suspects to bring firearms onto the premises. When the first classroom shooting occurred, students fled, and the suspects pursued some of the victims into other classrooms, continuing the attack."

The majority of the deceased and injured were reportedly female students. Police collected at least 40 shell casings from the scene.

In footage released online, students are seen hiding under desks in locked classrooms, screaming or crying. As gunshots continued outside, some students called their mothers. Other videos show terrified students running out of the school or hugging each other for comfort.

One of the suspects was arrested inside the school immediately after the crime, while the other fled to a nearby house and was caught by police who responded to a resident's report.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos ordered a thorough investigation into the incident and instructed authorities to strengthen security at schools, workplaces, and public places. The Office of the President stated, "The President expressed deep sorrow over this incident," adding, "The parents of the victims, in particular, must be experiencing great shock and fear."

Once the investigation is concluded, the suspects will be handed over to government welfare authorities as they are minors. In particular, the 14-year-old suspect may be exempt from criminal liability under the Philippines' 2006 Juvenile Justice Act, which stipulates that only minors aged 15 and above can be held criminally responsible, and even then, only if investigators determine that the minor fully understood the nature and consequences of the crime.

While gun crimes are frequent in the Philippines due to the widespread circulation of unlicensed firearms, school shootings remain relatively rare. In 2022, a man armed with a handgun opened fire at a prestigious university in metropolitan Manila ahead of a graduation ceremony, killing a former mayor with whom he had long-standing conflicts and two others. The suspect was arrested at the scene.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.