PRO9 warns vs sharing of 'fake' social media accounts of Ateneo de Zamboanga shooter

The Police Regional Office 9 (PRO9) on Thursday warned the public against sharing unverified social media accounts and posts allegedly linked to the Ateneo de Zamboanga University shooter and his family.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PRO9 spokesperson Police Major Shellamie Chang said authorities have received various information, videos, and social media posts related to the incident.

“Ang reminders lang po namin sa public is, huwag po tayo basta-basta maniniwala. Kami po sa PNP, tinitingnan po namin yan pero vine-verify at vina-validate namin yan,” she said.

(It's just a reminder to the public, let's not just believe it. We in the PNP; we are looking at it, but we are verifying and validating it.)

“Ine-ensure po namin na yung aming gagamitin ay mga tamang impormasyon na makakatulong sa imbestigasyon po. So, sa public po, mag-ingat po tayo,” she added.

(We ensure that the information we use is accurate and will aid the investigation. So, to the public: please be cautious.)

She warned about alleged social media accounts supposedly belonging to the shooter. According to Chang, some of these accounts appeared to have been created only hours after the incident.

The police also received reports about alleged social media accounts involving the shooter's family.

However, Chang said authorities coordinated with the family and learned that the parents had stepped back from social media as they continue to grieve.

“Upon coordination naman po with the parent, I think nag-lie low sila sa social media dahil ayaw nilang palalain yung sitwasyon because they are still grieving,” she said.

"Upon coordination with the parent, I think they lie low on social media because they don't want to make the situation worse because they are still grieving.)

Two students were killed while at least six others were injured in the shooting incident at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga City on Tuesday.

The shooting involved a Grade 8 student who allegedly opened fire inside the campus.

A Grade 10 student was killed inside a classroom, while the suspect later went to the fifth floor of the school building and reportedly shot himself.

The guns used in the shooting incident were linked to a Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel, who is the father of the shooter.

According to Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan Olaso earlier, the student who carried out the fatal shooting was reportedly under pressure over his grades and experiencing depression.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier said the shooter was able to bring firearms into the school after arriving in his father’s car and bypassing the security check. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA News