Shooting during lunch break at a school in the Philippines leaves three dead and eight injured

A shooting at a high school in Mindanao province in the southern Philippines left three people dead and eight injured.

Authorities said the victims included two 14-year-old students. The 16-year-old suspected attacker took his own life after the incident.

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at Banga National High School, in the municipality of the same name.

Mayor Albert Palencia told the BBC that four of the injured were in critical condition. According to him, the gunman opened fire on students after the lunch break ended and shot a total of 10 people before taking his own life.

Palencia told Reuters that during lunch, the 16-year-old had asked his friends to go home, telling them that he would carry out his plan after the break.

His friends did not take the warning seriously because they knew the teenager as someone who often joked, according to the mayor.

After lunch, the 16-year-old opened fire on students. Local authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the motive and the full circumstances of the attack.

The Philippines’ Department of Education said it was “deeply concerned” by the incident, stressing that protecting the safety and well-being of students, teachers and school staff remains its top priority.

Authorities urged the public to remain calm and avoid publishing unverified information while the investigation is ongoing.

As a result of the shooting, classes were suspended at all levels across the municipality of Banga.

The Philippine Red Cross said it received information about the attack at around 2:00 p.m. local time. An ambulance carrying four paramedics was dispatched to the scene to assist the injured.