2 suspects in Tacloban school shooting went on rampage —witnesses

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — The two juvenile suspects in the deadly shooting at the San Jose National High School here went on a rampage before killing three fellow students on Monday morning, witnesses said.

According to some teachers and students, the two suspects opened fire on the campus, sending the school into chaos and forcing students and teachers to flee as gunshots rang out across classrooms around 9: 20 a.m.

The attack, which struck during what was supposed to be the start of a new school week, left five others wounded, according to police.

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READ: Both suspects in Tacloban school shooting arrested —police

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Within hours, both suspects—identified as minors enrolled in Grades 9 and 10—were taken into custody as authorities secured the campus and launched an investigation.

Police said the fatalities were students aged 16 to 17. Two were declared dead at the scene after sustaining gunshot wounds to the head and back, while a third died while being rushed to a hospital. The five injured victims remain under medical care.

Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the first bursts of gunfire disrupted classroom activities, with many initially unsure of what was happening before panic spread across the school’s more than 1,600 students and 110 teachers.

A teacher who requested anonymity said one of the suspects allegedly began firing outside a classroom window before entering the room.

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“We all ducked after he started shooting at us,” the teacher said.

READ: Trauma counseling prioritized after deadly Tacloban school shooting

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Another teacher, Glenn Bazar, said he was conducting a lesson when a suspect appeared outside his classroom holding a firearm.

“He pointed the gun at me. I immediately dropped to the floor for safety. My students were already on the floor crying,” Bazar recalled.

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One student in his class was struck in the hands by gunfire. Bazar added that he later saw the suspects moving through other parts of the campus, still armed, as fear and confusion spread among students trying to escape the buildings./ coa