When news first broke about the school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Philippines, the immediate explanation was one that has become sadly familiar after many school attacks, the old bullying claim.
Two male students, ages 14 and 15, allegedly entered the school armed with a 9mm pistol and a .38 revolver and opened fire. Three students were killed and several others were injured. Police recovered more than 40 shell casings from the scene, and videos from inside the school showed terrified students hiding as shots rang out.
At first, authorities said the two suspects claimed they were motivated by being bullied. But as more details have come out, that explanation seems far too simple.
According to police, this was not an attack that happened in a moment of anger. Investigators believe the shooting was planned for weeks, possibly dating back to late April or early May. That means these students were allegedly thinking about this, preparing for this, and working toward carrying out the attack for more than a month.
Police are also looking into claims that the suspects researched the Philippines’ juvenile justice system before the shooting.
The Philippines’ Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 changed how young offenders are handled. Under the law, children 15 years old and younger generally cannot be held criminally liable, although they can be placed into intervention programs.
That law has been debated in the Philippines for years, especially after high-profile crimes involving young suspects. Supporters say the focus should be rehabilitation and preventing children from becoming lifelong criminals. Critics argue that serious violent crimes require stronger consequences, especially if young offenders understand exactly what they are doing.
The Tacloban shooting has reignited that debate because police say the suspects may have taken advantage of those legal protections.
Police have also said the suspects claimed they originally only wanted to intimidate certain targets and that after the 14-year-old suspect fired the first shots, he could no longer be stopped.
That sounds like a load of crap to me.
As in most shootings where the shooters claim they were bullied, the victims who died were not the intended targets. If the suspects entered a school with loaded firearms, opened fire, and innocent students were killed, saying the situation simply “got out of control” feels like an attempt to minimize murder. Bringing guns into a school is already a decision as is pulling the trigger. The fact that the victims were not the people they originally intended to target makes the outcome even more disturbing.
Authorities are also looking into possible online influences, including a game called GoreBox. Police said one of the suspects played the game, which is a sandbox-style game that allows players to create violent scenarios using weapons and destruction. I never heard of the game until today, but looking at screenshots of the game, it looks like a Roblox knock off with blood. The graphics are still cartoonish, but the entire concept revolves around simulated violence and destruction.
Of course, violent video games do not make someone violent. Millions of people play violent games every day and never harm anyone. Blaming a video game for a real-world shooting is always an oversimplification.
At the same time, it is also true that people who already have violent thoughts or fantasies can be drawn toward violent entertainment. Someone who is already becoming obsessed with violence may seek out games, videos, communities, or other forms of media that reinforce those interests. The game itself is not the cause, but it can be part of a larger picture.
One detail that I have not seen widely discussed yet is a photo of one of the suspects appearing to wear a KMFDM shirt, possibly worn during the shooting.
KMFDM is a German industrial band that became associated with Columbine because it was one of the bands favored by the two attackers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. The band has repeatedly rejected any connection to the attack and condemned the way some people have tried to associate their music with violence.
However, over the years, some Columbine obsessives and copycats have worn KMFDM shirts as a way of referencing Harris and the Columbine attackers. There have been other cases where school attackers or people fascinated with past shootings have adopted imagery connected to previous crimes, such as Natalie Rupnow.
By itself, a KMFDM shirt does not prove anything. Just like a video game, a song, or a piece of clothing does not explain why someone commits murder.
But when you combine all of these details together, it raises questions about whether this was really just a bullying-related attack.
For years, the United States has struggled with a type of school violence that has become almost uniquely associated with American culture. The idea of students planning attacks against their classmates, studying previous shootings, and seeking notoriety afterward has become a recurring nightmare.
The Philippines has had gun violence problems, but school shootings like this are extremely rare. That is why I tend tp believe this was what I call an “American import” shooting. Not because the Philippines copied America’s problems overnight, but because some of the cultural elements surrounding these attacks now exist online everywhere.
The internet has allowed the darkest parts of these crimes to spread beyond borders. People who are already angry, isolated, or looking for a sense of identity can find communities that encourage their worst impulses.
The investigation into Tacloban will continue, and authorities still need to determine exactly what motivated these two students. But based on what we know so far, I have a hard time believing this was simply a case of two bullied kids finally snapping.
This appears to be something much more complicated, and understanding that complexity is the only way to prevent another school from experiencing the same tragedy.
Whether The Philippines will stick their head in the sand like America remains to be seen.
(Sources)
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