At least six students were killed and 17 others injured in a shooting at a high school in the southern Philippines on Friday, according to the country’s Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The shooting occurred at Banga National High School in Banga town in South Cotabato province.
The shooter, suspected to be a student himself, is among the deceased, GMA Network reported.
Classes at all levels across Banga were immediately suspended following the incident, the Banga Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said.
The Department of Education said it was “deeply concerned” by the shooting and was coordinating with school officials, local authorities, and law enforcement agencies to establish the circumstances and provide assistance.
“Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of our learners, teachers, and school personnel,” the department said.
It said psychological first aid, as well as mental health and psychosocial support, would be made available to those affected.
The department also urged the public to refrain from circulating unverified information while authorities investigate the shooting.
Friday’s attack came a month after a shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University in the southern Philippines left two students dead, including the student gunman, on Aug. 18.
Authorities have yet to disclose a possible motive for the latest shooting.
