Philippines School Shooting Leaves Two Dead, Including Suspected Gunman

ASEAN NETWORK NEWS | A shooting occurred at Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City, Philippines, on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, leaving two people dead, including a student and the suspected shooter. Two other people were reportedly injured in the incident.

Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Olaso said the suspected shooter was a student who brought a firearm onto the school premises. The incident ended after the suspect shot himself and died.

The shooting took place at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, a Catholic educational institution in Zamboanga City, in the western part of Mindanao.

According to Mayor Khymer Olaso, the suspected shooter was a student who was carrying a firearm inside the school. Police and school authorities subsequently confirmed that there was no longer an active shooter on the campus.

One of the victims who died was reportedly a Grade 10 student. Two other people were also reported to have sustained injuries during the incident.

Olaso said that, based on video footage circulating after the incident, the suspected shooter initially fired toward a teacher before moving to another room and shooting a student who later died.

The motive for the shooting has not yet been established. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including what prompted the shooting and how the firearm was brought onto the school premises.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident and develop measures aimed at preventing similar acts of violence in schools.

The incident has drawn attention because school shootings are relatively uncommon in the Philippines. Ateneo de Zamboanga University had reportedly conducted an active-shooter preparedness drill about a month before the shooting.

Gun ownership in the Philippines is regulated, although authorities continue to face challenges involving illegal firearms and the black market.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the shooting, including the suspected motive, the source of the firearm, and the circumstances that allowed the weapon to enter the school.

As of the latest available information, two people had died and two others were reported injured. Further details are expected as the investigation progresses.