Türkiye school shooting wounds 16

ISTANBUL: An ex-student opened fire at his former high school Tuesday (Apr 14) in Türkiye, wounding 16 people including students before killing himself in a showdown with police, officials said.

Special security forces were deployed to the school in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa, where students were evacuated, the local governor, Hasan Sildak, told reporters.

Television footage showed ambulances outside the school in the Siverek district as students fled in panic.

Sildak 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,” he added.

“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 operator were injured in the attack, the interior ministry said on X. 

“The individual who carried out the attack with a shotgun committed suicide with the same weapon following the incident,” the ministry said.