An ex-student opened fire at his former high school Tuesday in Turkey, where school shootings are rare, wounding 16 people including students before killing himself, officials said.
Special security forces were deployed to the school in southeastern Turkey’s Şanlıurfa province, where students were evacuated, the local governor, Hasan Şıldak, told reporters.
Television footage showed ambulances standing by outside the school in the Siverek district as students fled the building in panic.
Şıldak identified the attacker as a former student at the school, born in 2007.
“He took his own life when cornered by police,” the governor said.
“We have evacuated the school and will carry out a thorough investigation into this tragic incident. … Despite taking all necessary precautions regarding the safety of our schools, such isolated incidents can still occur. The required investigation will be carried out.”
The governor, who inspected the school, said the attacker “randomly opened fire in the corridor with a pump-action shotgun.”
According to initial findings, 10 students, four teachers, one police officer and one cafeteria worker were injured in the attack, the interior ministry said on X.
“The individual who carried out the attack with a shotgun took their own life with the same weapon following the incident,” the ministry said.
School safety
School shootings in Turkey are rare. In May 2024 a former student killed a private high school principal in Istanbul with a firearm five months after he was expelled.
The assailant, reportedly of Iraqi origin, fled after the shooting and was later arrested.
The killing of the 74-year-old school principal triggered a nationwide debate while thousands of teachers demonstrated in İstanbul calling for increased school safety measures.
Turkey has strict gun laws that require licensing, registration, mental and criminal background checks and heavy penalties for illegal possession.
© Agence France-Presse