Turkey school shooting wounds 16, attacker dead

An ex-student opened fire at his former high school Tuesday in Turkey.

14 Apr 2026 06:56pm
An injured student evacuated as special force security surround the school in southeastern Turkey. Photo by Handout/Demiroren News Agency/AFP
An injured student evacuated as special force security surround the school in southeastern Turkey. Photo by Handout/Demiroren News Agency/AFP

ISTANBUL - An ex-student opened fire at his former high school Tuesday in Turkey, where school shootings are rare, wounding 16 people including students before killing himself, officials said.

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

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

Special force security surrounding a school in southeastern Turkey. Photo by Handout/Demiroren News Agency/AFP
Special force security surrounding a school in southeastern Turkey. Photo by Handout/Demiroren News Agency/AFP

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.

Local media reported that most of the wounded were students. - AFP

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