Tacloban City: At least three persons lost their lives and several were injured after a minor opened fire inside a school at Tacloban City in the Phillipines on Monday morning.
The incident occurred inside the San Jose National High School, leading to chaos as students, teachers and staff attempted to flee. The minor suspect has been taken into custody, police said.
The shooting took place around 9 am inside the campus in Barangay San Jose, according to initial information released by the Tacloban City Police Office, as reported by timesnow.in.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene following reports of multiple gunshots inside the school grounds. By the time police secured the area, eight individuals had been struck by gunfire. Three victims succumbed to their injuries, while five others were transported to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment.
The victims have not yet been identified by the authorities, even as officials continue efforts to notify their families.
One suspect, described as a child in conflict with the law (CICL) and a resident of San Jose, was apprehended shortly after the attack. A second suspect remains at large, triggering a manhunt operation across the area.
The San Jose National High School is one of the largest educational institutions in the area. Witness accounts are still being gathered, but police said officers from Tacloban City Police Office Station 1 responded immediately after receiving emergency reports from the school.
Images and videos circulating locally showed a heavy police presence outside the campus as officers secured entry and exit points. Concerned parents gathered near the school while emergency vehicles transported the injured to hospitals.
Only limited details regarding the circumstances leading to the attack have been released by the authorities so far. Investigators are working to determine whether the victims were specifically targeted or whether the shooting stemmed from an altercation that escalated inside the school grounds.
Investigators have begun piecing together a timeline of events leading up to the shooting. Forensic teams have been deployed to examine evidence recovered from the scene, while witnesses are being interviewed to establish exactly how the incident unfolded.
