A school shooting in South Cotabato province in the southern Philippines left at least two students dead and six others injured on Friday, authorities reported. The incident occurred at approximately 1 p.m. at Banga National High School, with all victims aged between 14 and 17.

The suspected gunman, a 14-year-old student at the school, used a 9 mm handgun registered to his father, a government employee at the regional Department of Education office. Police said the suspect fired 13 rounds, carrying two magazines, before turning the weapon on himself. He was found dead at the scene.

South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said the shooting appeared to have been premeditated. Investigators discovered that the student was part of an online “True Crime community,” which the governor described as a social platform that may have influenced the attack. The student allegedly began planning the shooting in mid-August and discussed it through text messages with a friend several times before the incident.

Authorities found no evidence that the suspect was a victim of bullying. Tamayo noted the student was academically strong, belonging to a top-performing special class.

Following the shooting, schools in the area were dismissed early. Governor Tamayo said students were sent home immediately, with plans to conduct a debriefing session on Monday.

The Philippine Department of Education expressed deep concern over the incident in a statement. Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police indicated the case remains under investigation.

This shooting is the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting schools in the country over recent months. Last month, a student in Zamboanga City livestreamed himself shooting a classmate before taking his own life. In June, two students at a high school in Tacloban City discharged at least 34 rounds, killing three peers and injuring more than a dozen.

School shootings have historically been rare in the Philippines, a nation where gun violence in educational settings is uncommon. However, recent cases have raised alarm among officials about the rising trend and the influence of online communities on vulnerable youth.