High School student caught with gun in Northern Samar school

MANILA, Philippines — A potential school shooting has been averted after a Grade 10 student was caught carrying a gun on campus in Catarman, Northern Samar on Thursday.

The 15-year-old male student of the Catarman National High School in Barangay Dalakit was brought to the municipal social welfare and development office for proper intervention and counseling.

Reports said the student had just entered the classroom at past 2 p.m. when a classmate saw the gun, a .45-caliber pistol, inside the bag of the suspect.

The classmate informed the teacher, who asked the student where he got the gun.

The student said the gun belonged to his father, but did not reveal his purpose for bringing the firearm to school.

The teacher notified the school administrator who called the police.

The firearm was not loaded, but the student had brought with him ammunition, according to Lt. Col. Analiza Armeza, spokesperson for the Eastern Visayas police.

“He said he had no target or plan of shooting anyone. He simply brought the gun,” Armeza said.

The gun has no serial number, indicating it was a loose firearm.  

The father of the student may be investigated over the incident.

Classes continued after police took the student away.