A tragic incident unfolded at a Turkish middle school on Wednesday, where a 14-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed at least nine people, leaving 13 others injured. This shocking event has been reported by both media outlets and official sources.
According to Regional Governor Mukerrem Unluer, the young boy executed the attack using firearms owned by his father, who is a former police officer. This incident marks the second such violent occurrence in Turkey within two days.
“A student arrived at the school with firearms, believed to be his father’s, concealed in his backpack. He entered two classrooms and began shooting indiscriminately, resulting in both injuries and fatalities,” Unluer stated to reporters, as relayed by various media agencies.
The victims include eight students and a teacher, as confirmed by Turkey’s Interior Minister, Mustafa Ciftci, in remarks to reporters covered by Reuters.
Medical personnel were seen attending to wounded students following the harrowing school shooting in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, on April 15, 2026. (Ihlas News Agency/Reuters)
Minister Ciftci emphasized that this tragic event was an isolated incident and not linked to any acts of terrorism.
The shooting took place at Ayser Çalık Middle School in Turkey’s Kahramanmaras region, roughly 140 miles west of the high school where another student killed himself after injuring 16 others in a shooting one day earlier.
Shooting deaths are rare in Turkey, with just over 2.6 per 100,000 residents every year, compared to the U.S.’s 14.5. Gun applicants must be at least 21 years old and go through a rigorous medical clearance and background check process.
Gun acquisition is, however, considerably more expedient for professionals with certain careers, such as law enforcement.
People wait in front of a school building after a deadly shooting in the southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, Turkey, April 15, 2026. (Reuters/IHA (Ihlas News Agency))
Despite the difficulties, Turkey has now been rocked by two mass shootings in two days. In response, the government has urged citizens not to spread misinformation and to protect the peace.
An injured person is carried to an ambulance after a school shooting in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, April 15, 2026. (IHA/Ihlas News Agency via Reuters)
“Managing the process with sound judgment, protecting societal peace, and particularly ensuring the psychological security of our children are of utmost importance,” the country’s Ministry of Communications also posted on X.
“It is essential for our media organizations to act with the utmost sense of responsibility in their broadcasting policies,” the post continued, adding that “such incidents create a highly fertile ground for disinformation.”
Four chief inspectors and four inspector generals have been assigned to an investigation into the incident, the Turkish Ministry of the Interior wrote on X.
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