A tragic incident unfolded at a middle school in Turkey as a student opened fire in two classrooms, resulting in the death of nine individuals and injuring 13 others, according to the country’s interior minister. The 14-year-old gunman, who was later killed, entered the school carrying firearms believed to be owned by his father, a retired police officer. The teenager was armed with five guns and seven magazines.
The motive behind the attack remains unknown, and it is unclear whether the gunman was shot by law enforcement or took his own life. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci reported that six of the 13 wounded individuals were in critical condition.
Reports indicated that at least three students and a teacher were among the casualties initially, with the death toll later rising to nine. This tragic event occurred just a day after a separate school shooting in the nearby Sanliurfa province, where 16 individuals, mostly students, were injured by a former student who later committed suicide.
While school shootings have been uncommon in Turkey historically, incidents involving firearms at educational institutions have increased over the past decade. Authorities swiftly responded to the school in the Onikisubat district of Kahramanmaras, dispatching police and ambulances upon hearing gunfire. Images from the scene showed individuals being transported to ambulances, with parents rushing to the school upon learning of the armed attack. Security measures were promptly implemented by the police in the surrounding area.