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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Two students die in Zamboanga City school gun attack

Two students die in Zamboanga City school gun attack

Published Aug 18, 2026 10:40 am

At A Glance

  • The attack was allegedly carried out by a Grade 9 student armed with an assault rifle and a .45 pistol.
  • DepEd said coordination is already being made with mental health partners to provide Psychological First Aid and psychosocial support to those affected by the gun attack.
  • PNP said it is conducting a thorough investigation-- how the guns ended up inside the school and who owns the two firearms.
A junior high school student of the Ateneo de Zamboanga allegedly engaged in a gun attack inside the campus on Tuesday, Aug. 18, or almost two months after the mass shooting inside a Tacloban City school.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso said two students died during the incident— a high school student and the shooter who was reported to have shot himself after the shooting spree inside the school on Tuesday morning.
A police report said the shooter was a Grade 9 student while the other fatality was a Grade 10 student. 
Olaso said two other students were injured as a result of the incident.
“The student was armed with a high-powered firearm and a .45 caliber pistol. The shooter first targeted a teacher sitting on the table. After failing to hit the teacher, the shooter went to another room,” said Olaso in an interview over dzBB.
It was in the second room that a student was hit using a .45 pistol, according to Olaso.
He said two other students were wounded before the shooter allegedly took his life.
Live streaming
Olaso said the incident was captured by the body-worn camera that the shooter was wearing. The body-worn camera was live-streaming the attack.
The video of the incident is now being shared on social media and the Department of Education (DepEd) urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information and sharing sensitive photos, videos, or details about the incident, especially since minors are involved.
“The Department of Education (DepEd) is gravely concerned over the reported shooting incident at the Ateneo de Zamboanga Grade School, a private school, in Zamboanga City this morning, August 18,” the DepEd statement read.
“DepEd stands with the Ateneo de Zamboanga community during this difficult time and is ready to extend whatever support and assistance we can to the affected learners, families, school personnel, and concerned authorities,” it added.
Under control
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Ateneo de Zamboanga said the situation was already under control, adding that parents were immediately allowed to fetch their children after the incident was contained.
On the part of the DepEd, it said coordination is already being made with mental health partners to provide Psychological First Aid and psychosocial support to those affected by the gun attack.
Under investigation
The Philippine National Police said they are coordinating with the school to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The PNP assures the public that the safety and well-being of the school community remain a priority. We urge everyone to remain calm and rely on official advisories for accurate and timely information,” it said in a statement.
Part of the investigation, according to the PNP, is how the guns were sneaked into the campus and identify the owners of the two firearms.

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school shooting Zamboanga City
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