Two killed in shooting at Catholic junior high school in southern Philippines

Two people were killed after a Grade 9 student opened fire at a Catholic junior high school in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga on 18 August 2026, officials said.

The gunman, who was a student at the school, killed himself after bringing a pistol and a rifle onto campus and firing at people inside a classroom, according to a preliminary police report.

The shooting occurred at a school attached to the privately run Ateneo de Zamboanga University. Officials later said there was no longer an active shooter and no further fatalities had been reported.

Police secure school campus

Regional police spokesperson Major Shellamie Chang said police forces were working to secure the school campus, although she could not immediately provide further details.

The university's president, Ernald Andal, confirmed that two people had died and said there was no longer an active shooting.

"As of now, we confirm that there are two fatalities," Andal said. "There are no more active shooters."

The school also confirmed two fatalities in a separate statement, saying the safety of its students was its top priority.

It said it had coordinated with parents and guardians to collect their children, while the university had ensured the safety of those remaining on campus.

Mayor describes shooting

Zamboanga mayor Khymer Adan Olaso told DZMM radio that the shooter had used a "high-powered firearm".

Olaso referred to a screen-grabbed video being circulated by local media. He said the footage appeared to show the gunman first shooting towards a teacher sitting at a table.

According to Olaso's account, the shooter appeared to miss before moving to another room, where another student was shot and fell.

He also said two other people appeared to have been injured, although officials had not confirmed those injuries.

Footage shows students fleeing

A video circulated by local media and seemingly live-streamed on Facebook appeared to show the barrel of a firearm moving along a school hallway.

The weapon was then pointed into a classroom before shots were fired. Children wearing school uniforms were seen screaming and rushing towards an exit.

Other footage circulated on social media showed students and parents gathering outside the school gates.

Armed police and soldiers were present outside the campus, while crime scene investigators were seen arriving at the school.

The alleged shooter's Facebook account was subsequently disabled.

School had conducted active shooter drill

The school is a five-storey building on an 8ha site housing the university's grade school and junior high school students, according to information on its website.

School shootings are rare in the Philippines. Ateneo de Zamboanga had conducted an active shooter drill only last month.

The latest incident nevertheless follows a deadly shooting at a public high school in Tacloban City in June.

In that attack, at least three students were killed and about 20 others were injured after two of their schoolmates opened fire on the campus.

Gun controls and black market

Legal gun ownership in the Philippines is tightly regulated, although a large black market for firearms exists in the country.

The circumstances surrounding how the Zamboanga student obtained the firearms were not immediately provided in the information available.

The latest shooting also came less than 10 days after a high-profile incident in Thailand.

In that case, a student went on a shooting rampage at a school on the outskirts of Bangkok, resulting in deaths and injuries.