An 18-year-old gunman on Tuesday carried out a shooting at a vocational high school in southeastern Turkey, leaving at least 16 people injured before taking his own life as security operatives moved in, prompting authorities to launch a full-scale investigation into the incident.
The teenage assailant, armed with a shotgun, reportedly fired indiscriminately within the school in Siverek, Şanlıurfa province, before retreating into the building. He was later contained by special operations police units and died by suicide as officers closed in, Governor Hasan Şıldak confirmed.
The attack left 10 students, four teachers, a canteen worker and a police officer injured. While most victims were treated in Siverek, several with more critical conditions were transferred to hospitals in the provincial capital.
“We have 16 injured. Most of them are students,” Şıldak said, noting that emergency response teams were swiftly deployed to the scene.
Authorities said the suspect, a former student born in 2007, was cornered inside the school before the situation was brought under control, allowing for the safe evacuation of students and staff.
“The incident is being investigated from all angles,” the governor said, adding that efforts are ongoing to determine the motive behind the attack.
Although the exact cause of the violence remains unclear, preliminary reports suggest the attacker may have had a prior dispute within the school community, though officials have yet to confirm this.
Eyewitness accounts and footage from the scene captured chaotic moments as students fled in panic, with some reportedly jumping through windows while security personnel secured the area.
“Students were running in all directions. It was complete panic,” a witness said.
Education authorities have since heightened security measures across schools in the region as investigations continue.