An unidentified gunman opened fire on a group of students on a rural campus of the University of Panama Friday, killing one and wounding another before escaping, according to school officials.

University Rector Eduardo Flores C said via the social platform X that agricultural sciences students were doing field work at the university's regional centre in Veraguas about 155 miles (250 km) southwest of the capital when the shooting took place.

The director of the regional campus where the shooting occurred, Pedro Samaniego, did not witness the shooting, but was on campus.

Samaniego said the man approached a group of six first-year students around 11 am and opened fire without saying a word.

One student died at the scene and another was shot and wounded as the students were fleeing. The gunmen then hopped a fence and escaped.

“We don't have any detail about the (shooter), only that he came in and shot the student and the kids went running and the wounded (student) was shot right in the gluteus,” he said. “Then the person jumped the fence and took off.”

The wounded student was hospitalised.

A law enforcement official who requested anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing investigation said that no one was in custody.

The regional prosecutor's office said via X that it was investigating a homicide on the campus.

A university spokesperson also confirmed the shooting and said more information would be released.