Flags are flying at half-mast today in memorial of a student killed in Monday’s bus hostage massacre in the Philippines.

Doris (Chung See) Leung, 21, was killed along with her 14-year-old sister Jessie and father Ken Leung. The family, which holds dual Canadian and Hong Kong citizenship, were on a tourist bus in Manila that was hijacked by a former policeman. After a 12-hour standoff, eight victims were killed.

“[Doris] was an amazing individual; full of ambition and determination. She was involved in various events around the campus and always put others’ needs far ahead of her own,” said Almas Sultan, a fourth-year health studies student. Sultan is volunteer coordinator at the UTSC Health and Wellness Centre, where Leung volunteered.

“I am still in shock that a fellow student from our campus has passed away so soon,” said Sultan.

Leung graduated from an international high school in Hong Kong that follows the academic curriculum of the province of Alberta. She enjoyed piano and Pictionary and was part of the UTSC Concert Band.

UTSC Principal Franco Vaccarino sent a statement of condolence to all UTSC e-mail accounts this afternoon

“Miss Leung was an active member of our community, regularly volunteering to assist at events,” the message read. “There will be a memorial service and book of condolence during orientation festivities in September.” Counselling services are being offered to the UTSC community.

A Facebook group has been started by UTSC students in memorial of Doris.

“I personally did not know Doris, but I found about her passing away a few hours ago,” said Rupom Rahman, a third-year international studies and political science student who created the group “to help fellow students appreciate the type of individual that Doris was, and to convey their condolences to the rest of her family.”

“I was shocked and saddened to hear that a fellow student from the same campus had lost her life so suddenly during a crucial period of time in her life,” said Rahman.

Leung’s mother, Amy Ng, said her 58-year-old husband stood up and charged at the gunman, trying to defuse the situation.

“He sacrificed himself. I wanted to embrace my husband and die with him. But then I thought of my children,” Ng told Hong Kong Cable TV yesterday. Pictures of the father and husband, printed on national newspapers, can be seen in hallways throughout campus.

Jason Leung, 18, is in critical condition in a Manila hospital after a severe head wound. She told Chinese media the gunman did not intend to kill people and that the deaths could have been avoided.

With files from Associated Press and The New York Times.