Student killed by stray bullet in Marawi

LANAO DEL SUR, Philippines — A 15-year-old Maranaw student was killed by a stray bullet while performing an obligatory Friday worship rite in the Campo Ranao mosque in Marawi City. 

 

Assemblyman Zia Alonto Adiong of the 24-member Regional Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and spokesman of the interim disaster response group of the Lanao del Sur provincial government, told reporters the victim, Abdillah Masid, was hit by a metal-jacketed high-caliber rifle round fired from a distance.

 

He said Masid, who was hit in the head, died instantly.

 

Adiong, who is helping oversee the relief operations of the Lanao del Sur provincial government for thousands of conflict-stricken villagers, said they are unsure still if the bullet that hit Masid was fired by a terrorist sniper, or a stray round from a scene of a gunfight that went off-target.

 

Adiong said the victim was immediately buried by relatives in keeping with Islamic tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours from the time of death.