Cops looking for '3rd party,' gun owner in mall shooting

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Police were still piecing bits of information on last Tuesday’s shooting incident involving two male teenagers at a shopping mall in Mexico town.

For one, police were looking for a “third party” to shed light on why the 13-year-old boy shot his male friend aged 16 and then himself at the SM City Pampanga, GMA News quoted Superintendent Wilson Santos, Mexico police chief, as telling radio station dzBB yesterday.

Police were also tracing ownership of the gun, a homemade caliber .22. Reports said the 13-year-old, in a Facebook posting, said he would get his mother’s gun, but his father denied their family own such a firearm.

Police said they would also review footage of the mall’s closed-circuit television cameras.

Both teenagers sustained gunshot wounds in the head and were declared brain dead. The 13-year-old’s family decided to remove his life support system Wednesday afternoon and brought his remains to Mariveles, Bataan. His family’s plans to donate his kidney and cornea did not materialize.

The 16-year-old died Wednesday night. His family recalled his wish to take up hairstyling in Japan. (The other victim had wanted to be a chef.)

A suicide note found in the 13-year-old’s bag indicated that the incident was a “crime of passion” and of a personal nature.