Gunman opens fire at high school in Turkey, wounding 16

A former student opened fire at a high school in southeastern Türkiye, wounding at least 16 people and then killing himself.

The 18-year-old attacker, who attacked a vocational high school in Şanlıurfa’s Siverek district with a shotgun on Tuesday, opened fire randomly before hiding inside the building.

Governor Hasan Sildak said that he later committed suicide with the same shotgun.

Sildak said that 10 students, 4 teachers, a canteen employee and a police officer were injured in the attack.

The governor said that most of them were treated in Siverek, while 5 of the injured teachers and students were sent to a hospital in the city center because their condition was more serious.

The reason for the attack remains unclear.

School attacks are rare in Türkiye.

Previous media reports had reported that all students were evacuated and police special operations units were deployed after the attacker refused to surrender.

Speaking to journalists, Sildak said, “The individual was cornered inside the building by police intervention and died after shooting himself.” Sildak said, adding that a “comprehensive” investigation will be conducted into the incident.