A young man who was previously a student unleashed gunfire at a vocational high school in southeast Turkey on Tuesday, causing injuries to at least 16 individuals before taking his own life, a government official confirmed. The 18-year-old perpetrator, armed with a shotgun, indiscriminately fired shots within the school premises in Siverek, located in the Sanliurfa province, before retreating inside the building where he ultimately took his own life using the same weapon, Governor Hasan Sildak revealed.
The attack resulted in injuries to 10 students, four teachers, a canteen worker, and a law enforcement officer, according to Sildak. While the majority were receiving medical attention in Siverek, five of the more severely wounded teachers and students were transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, with school shootings being an uncommon occurrence in Turkey.
Sildak mentioned that the assailant had no prior criminal record. Notably, the school had been deemed secure, with no permanent police presence assigned for protection, leading the governor to describe the incident as an “isolated” event. Reports from NTV television and various media outlets indicated that the attacker had made threats on social media prior to the shooting.
An eyewitness described the chaotic scene, stating that the assailant entered a classroom and began shooting without uttering a word. The student recounted how they and a classmate had to jump out of a window to escape the unfolding violence. Following the incident, all students were evacuated from the area, and special police units were deployed after the perpetrator refused to surrender.
Governor Sildak assured that a thorough investigation into the shooting would be conducted. Video footage captured students fleeing the school in panic as the incident unfolded, with security forces and emergency personnel swiftly responding to the scene.