Philippines: At least 3 students killed in school shooting
· DWEmergency services received reports of gunfire at the Banga National High School in southern Mindanao on Friday afternoon. At least three students were killed, including the suspected gunman.
At least three people have been killed, including the suspected gunman, at a school shooting in the southern Philippines, officials said Friday.
Several other wounded students have been taken to the hospital.
"The incident resulted in three confirmed deaths and several individuals wounded," Philippine National Police said in a statement.
Emergency services were called to Banga National High School in South Cotabato province in Mindanao at about 1:30 p.m. local time (0530 GMT).
South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo said two students were killed, a boy and a girl, both 14, and that the gunman was the third person who died.
Banga town mayor Albert Palencia was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying eight people were injured, with four in critical condition.
Incident under investigation
There was also no immediate information about a possible motive.
"The incident remains under investigation. Responding police personnel immediately secured the area and coordinated with school authorities and medical responders to assist those affected and ensure the safety of students and school personnel," police said.
In a video posted on Facebook and verified by the AFP news agency, a man was seen carrying what appears to be a wounded child from the school.
In another, a teacher speaking in a local dialect could be heard saying there were two shooters, with a student insisting they were outsiders.
Recent school shootings in the Philippines
While school shootings are rare in the Philippines and gun ownership is tightly regulated, there have been a few shooting incidents at centers of learning in recent months.
In August, a high school student opened fire at a private university campus in the Philippines, killing a fellow student and wounding two others before turning the gun on himself.
Earlier, in June, three pupils were killed and around 20 others injured in another school shooting in an attack that took place in Tacloban City in the east of the country and resulted in the arrests of two suspects, aged 14 and 15.
Edited by: Natalie Muller
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