Wednesday, April 15, 2026-Turkey is reeling after a second school shooting in just 24 hours left at least nine people dead, deepening national shock and raising urgent concerns over safety in schools.
The latest attack unfolded in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş, where a teenage student opened fire inside a middle school, killing eight students and one teacher and injuring more than a dozen others, several critically. Authorities say the attacker acted alone and used multiple firearms reportedly taken from his father before dying during the incident.
The tragedy came just a day after another shooting in Şanlıurfa province, where a former student stormed a school and wounded at least 16 people before taking his own life.
The back-to-back attacks are highly unusual in Turkey, where school shootings are rare, and have triggered widespread panic among parents, students, and educators. Eyewitness footage from the latest incident showed children fleeing in chaos, with some jumping from windows to escape the gunfire.
Officials have launched multiple investigations and detained individuals linked to the attackers, including the shooter’s father, as questions mount over how the weapons were obtained.
While authorities have described the incidents as isolated and not terrorism-related, the scale and timing of the attacks have intensified calls for stricter controls and enhanced school security. With the country shaken by two deadly attacks in rapid succession, pressure is building on leaders to act swiftly to prevent further violence.
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