13-year-old boy shot dead

CEBU, Philippines — A teenager was shot dead by a still unidentified assailant in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, last Thursday evening.

Kenneth Tampus, 13, a resident of Zone Tamatis of the same barangay, was shot in the abdomen around 8:55 p.m., according to Mercy Villario, information officer of the Mandaue City Police Office.

Investigation revealed that Tampus was walking past the mangrove area of the barangay with four of his friends when an unidentified person suddenly fired and hit Tampus.

The victim's group was reportedly noisy while walking past the mangroves. Police said the unidentified person may have gotten angry Tampus and his friends passed by that area.

After the shooting, Tampus friends ran and asked for help from barangay residents.

Villario said the victim was first brought to the Eversley Childs Sanitarium and was later transported to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, but he did not make it there alive.

There were no empty shells found at the crime scene, according to police. A follow-up investigation is now being conducted. (FREEMAN)