AdSense Advertisement

Turkey hit by back-to-back school shootings, several dead and dozens injured

By The South Asia Times

ANKARA - Two consecutive school shootings in southeastern Turkey have left multiple people dead and dozens injured, in rare incidents that have shocked the country.

On Wednesday, a student gunman killed at least four people, including three fellow pupils and a teacher, and wounded at least 20 others at a middle school in Kahramanmaraş province, authorities said.

The attack came just a day after a separate shooting in Şanlıurfa province, where an 18-year-old former student opened fire inside a vocational high school in Siverek, injuring at least 16 people before killing himself, according to AP.

According to Governor Hasan Şıldak, the injured included students, teachers, a canteen worker and a police officer, with several in serious condition.

The attacker reportedly used a shotgun and acted alone, with no prior criminal record.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes, with students fleeing classrooms and some jumping from windows to escape gunfire.

Authorities said motives in both attacks remain unclear, though local media suggested the second attacker may have issued threats online before the incident.

School shootings are rare in Turkiye, and the back-to-back attacks have raised concerns about school safety, prompting investigations and heightened security measures.