12-year-old surrenders loaded .22 Magnum Pistol, prevents potential school violence in Misamis Oriental

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A 12-year-old pupil in a public elementary school surrendered a fully loaded Cal. .22 Magnum pistol allegedly intended for a mass shooting inside a public elementary school in Barangay Barra, Opol, Misamis Oriental, Wednesday morning.

Barangay Kagawad Manny Bersabal reported that he and two barangay tanods deployed in the school responded to reports that certain students were carrying weapons to attack certain bullied students in the said school.

When confronted, a nine-year-old student who wielded a hunting knife was brought to the principal's office for investigation.

Upon learning that his companion was in the principal's office, the 12-year-old voluntarily followed and surrendered with the pistol, with a magazine loaded with five live ammunition rounds, placed inside his backpack.

Bersabal said the knife and the pistol were separately given to two students the night before, allegedly to attack a certain group of bullies in the school.

The knife and pistol were turned over to the police for forensic examination.

He said the barangay, police, and school officials are conducting an investigation on the incident, including identifying the owner of the handgun.

Bersabal said authorities are coordinating with the parents of the students involved in the aborted school campus violence.