Number of wounded due to Tacloban school shooting now at 20

TACLOBAN CITY — The number of students wounded in the shooting incident at San Jose National High School has risen to 20, with 15 suffering gunshot wounds and five others sustaining injuries during the panic and commotion that followed the attack, police said Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Analiza Armeza, spokesperson for the Police Regional Office-8 (PRO-8), said all injured victims, particularly those firearm-related, are currently confined in various hospitals.

READ: School shooting kills 3 students in Tacloban

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Armeza also dismissed reports circulating on social media that the death toll had increased to four.

“The number of casualties is still at three. Hopefully, this will remain,” she said.

An uncle of one of the wounded students likewise denied reports that his nephew had died from his injuries.

“It’s not true. He is still at the hospital but is confined to the ICU. He is in stable condition,” the relative said in a media interview.

Meanwhile, the two minor suspects, aged 14 and 15, have been placed under the custody of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) while police continue their investigation.

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“They were turned over to the CSWDO yesterday at about 2 p.m., but the police continue the processing and documentation,” Armeza said.

READ: Pangilinan: Tacloban shooting suspects can’t be released even if minors

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The suspects, both students of San Jose National High School and enrolled in Grades 9 and 10, allegedly carried out the attack inside the school campus on Monday at about 9:20 a.m.

The shooting incident left three students dead, making it the deadliest school-related attack recorded in Eastern Visayas, if not in the entire country.

Authorities have yet to establish the motive behind the attack. Investigators are continuing to gather evidence and interview witnesses as part of the ongoing probe.

San Jose National High School, one of the largest public secondary schools in Tacloban City, has a student population of more than 1,600 and over 110 teaching personnel.

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The tragedy has prompted calls from government agencies and local officials for tighter security measures in schools, including increased visibility of barangay watchmen./coa