THE National Police (PNP) on Thursday said its investigators are now focusing on digital evidence to establish how the shooting incident at Ateneo de Zamboanga University was broadcast online and what drove the minor shooter to carry it out.
This, after investigators recovered a cellular telephone and other personal effects from the Grade 8 student who opened fire inside the school’s premises on August 18, killing one classmate and injuring several others before taking his own life, Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., National Police chief, said.
‘We will examine the cellphone and other digital evidence carefully and will not conclude until the investigation is completed. The PNP is looking into whether there were prior incidents, threats, or warning signs involving the shooter that could have alerted authorities,’ he added.
Nartatez said the recovered device is expected to help investigators establish the suspect’s online activities before, during, and after the shooting.
Investigators are also checking whether he had been involved in online games or other digital platforms that may have had a connection to the incident.
‘We are also looking into the online activities of the minor, including possible involvement in online games or other digital platforms, to determine whether these had any connection to the incident,’ Nartatez said.
Earlier reports said the suspect allegedly livestreamed the attack to a website called ‘Watch People Die’ using a body camera attached to his chest, giving viewers a ‘first-person shooter’ perspective.
The PNP chief said that investigators are examining whether the suspect planned the livestream and if other individuals were involved in distributing the footage.
‘We would like to find out what’s in the mind of this child having a firearm, shooting at his fellow students, fellow minors, and why he did this,’ Nartatez said.
The shooting in Zamboanga followed a series of violent incidents in schools, including the June attack in Tacloban City that left three students dead.
As this developed, Nartatez said keeping students safe requires vigilance and stronger community involvement beyond physical security measures.
He added that protecting students should not depend solely on physical security measures as police must also work closely with schools and communities to identify threats before they develop into violence.
‘We agree that school safety is not only about guards, cameras, and other security measures. Police can support schools by strengthening coordination and helping identify threats or warning signs before they develop into violence,’ Nartatez said.
He underscored that the organization supports the call of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara for school communities to regularly check on students and build stronger relationships with them.
Angara earlier noted that Ateneo de Zamboanga University had conducted active-shooter drills in July, but stressed that schools must also monitor students’ well-being and address online grooming and extremist networks.
For his part, Nartatez said parents and other members of the community have an important role in keeping children safe.
He urged them to maintain open communication with young people and immediately alert authorities about threats or suspicious behavior.
‘School safety is a shared responsibility. We encourage parents, teachers, students, and the community to stay vigilant, build stronger communication with our children, and immediately report threats or warning signs so that authorities can act before they lead to violence,’ Nartatez noted.