MANILA — Investigators are looking into academic pressure and depression as possible factors behind the deadly shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, with the Grade 8 suspect reportedly blaming a teacher over his grades before opening fire on campus.
Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso said the student, despite being an honor student, was apparently under pressure to attain higher grades.
“Medyo ano ‘yung bata kasi ‘yung grades niya hindi mataas. Although he’s an honor student, kaso may parang hinahabol siyang grades,” Olaso said in a television interview.
Olaso said investigators were examining whether the student’s frustration over his academic performance led him to target a teacher during Tuesday’s attack, which left two students dead and several others injured.
“So ‘yung motive niya is ‘yung teacher. Parang ‘yun ang gusto niyang gantihan,” the mayor said. “Other than that, so he was depressed.”
According to Olaso, the suspect initially fired at a teacher but missed before moving to another classroom, where he allegedly began shooting at other people.
“Noong binaril niya ‘yung isang teacher doon, hindi niya natamaan. So noong medyo hindi niya nakuha ‘yung gusto niya, lumipat siya sa ibang classroom. And naghanap na siya. Sino-sino lang binabanatan niya, ‘di ba,” Olaso said.
Authorities are also investigating possible security lapses that allowed the Grade 8 student to allegedly bring two firearms inside the university’s Junior High School campus.
“Siguro may lapses of security. Kaya nga, we’re asking the school to investigate properly paano nailusot ‘yan,” Olaso said.
The shooting occurred Tuesday at the university’s Junior High School campus. A Grade 10 student was killed inside a classroom during the attack.
The suspect later went to the fifth floor of the building, where he reportedly shot himself.
Police initially reported six students injured, although authorities later clarified that most of them were hurt while fleeing the attack rather than being directly struck by gunfire.
The Zamboanga City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported another injured student, while 21 students experienced panic attacks, anxiety or minor injuries during the incident.
The university subsequently heightened security, canceled classes and declared a day of mourning for the victims.
The Department of Education, meanwhile, is coordinating the provision of psychosocial assistance to students and other members of the school community affected by the shooting./PN
