On August 18, 2026, grade 9 student Mohammad Mael Jalani killed a grade 10 classmate and himself during a shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University in the Philippines. Jalani livestreamed portions of the attack on Facebook Live using a body-worn camera. Two other people were injured in the incident. One of Jalani's weapons was a government-issued pistol belonging to his father, a Bureau of Customs police commander. This is the country's second fatal school shooting in two months.
Ateneo de Zamboanga school shooting
- ▪During the August 18, 2026 attack at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Mohammad Mael Jalani fired at a teacher but missed, shot a grade 10 student on the fourth floor, and then committed suicide on the fifth floor.
- ▪On August 18, 2026, grade 9 student Mohammad Mael Jalani shot and killed a fellow student before committing suicide at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University high school campus in Zamboanga, Philippines.
- ▪The August 18, 2026 shooting at Ateneo de Zamboanga University resulted in the deaths of the shooter and one student, while injuring two other people.
Facebook Live attack livestream
- ▪A video of the August 18, 2026 shooting circulated by local media showed the barrel of a gun moving down a hallway in the style of a first-person shooter video game before being fired into a classroom.
- ▪Mohammad Mael Jalani livestreamed portions of the August 18, 2026 school shooting on Facebook Live using a body-worn camera.
Investigation into shooter motive
- ▪Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla stated that authorities will analyze Mohammad Mael Jalani's gaming and chat history to determine the motive behind the August 18, 2026 shooting.
- ▪Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated that authorities are establishing the circumstances of the August 18, 2026 shooting and urged the public not to share unconfirmed reports.
Weapon from customs official father
- ▪One of the two pistols carried by Mohammad Mael Jalani during the August 18, 2026 shooting belonged to his father, who served as the Bureau of Customs police commander in Zamboanga.
- ▪Bureau of Customs Deputy Commissioner Nolasco Bathan recommended the temporary suspension of Mohammad Mael Jalani's father for failing to properly safeguard his government-issued pistol.
Philippine school shooting pattern
- ▪The incident at Ateneo de Zamboanga University on August 18, 2026 was the second fatal school shooting in the Philippines in a two-month span.
- ▪In June 2026, a school shooting in Tacloban, Philippines, killed three high school students and injured at least 20 others, leading to the arrest of two students aged 14 and 15.
- ▪Following the June 2026 Tacloban shooting, Philippine authorities temporarily blocked the online gaming app Gorebox after investigations revealed one suspect was an avid user.
Student evacuation procedures
- ▪Following the August 18, 2026 attack, Ateneo de Zamboanga University suspended classes at all levels for Tuesday and Wednesday.
- ▪Hundreds of students were evacuated from the Ateneo de Zamboanga University high school building after shots were fired on August 18, 2026.
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