Ecija classroom shooting spurs calls for tighter school security
CABANATUAN CITY—The shooting of a Grade 10 student inside a classroom at Santa Rosa Integrated School (SRIS) in Barangay Rizal, Santa Rosa, on Thursday has highlighted the urgent need to strengthen campus security and address students’ mental and emotional health, a top local police official said on Friday.
Police Col. Heryl Bruno, provincial director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office, described the incident as “alarming,” stressing that it “reminds us of the importance of safeguarding our schools and taking a serious look at the emotional and psychological well-being of our youth.”
According to police reports, the 15-year-old victim, identified only as “Lea,” was in her classroom during a break when the suspect, 18, known by the alias “Leo,” entered unexpectedly.
Witnesses said the suspect drew a .22-caliber revolver from his waist, shot the victim in the neck, and then turned the gun on himself.
Both were rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment. Lea remained in critical condition at press time, while the suspect died at 2 p.m. on Friday, according to an Inquirer source.
Former classmates
The boy’s sister Rose said “Lea” and “Leo” were former classmates at Santa Rosa National High School.
They had also reportedly been in a relationship. However, “Lea” transferred to SRIS this school year for undisclosed reasons. The two schools are several kilometers apart.
Rose also said her brother, a former Grade 12 student, had stopped attending school some time ago.
Authorities are still investigating the motive for the shooting and how the suspect acquired the firearm.
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday condemned the shooting incident.
‘Appalling incident’
“We stand in full solidarity with the learners, teachers, and the entire school community affected by this appalling incident,” read the statement by the DepEd central office.
The agency also commended the Schools Division Office of Nueva Ecija for its “swift response” by cooperating with local authorities investigating the shooting incident and to “bring those responsible to justice.”
Unacceptable
“We likewise support the ongoing efforts to provide assistance to the families of the victims,” the DepEd also said. “Any form of violence, especially within or near school grounds, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
“We call on our partners in the community to strengthen school security protocols, and uphold our shared duty to make every school a zone of peace.”
