A young man who was previously a student opened fire inside a vocational high school in Siverek, Sanliurfa province, Turkey, injuring at least 16 individuals before taking his own life, officials reported. The 18-year-old assailant, carrying a shotgun, carried out the attack randomly before hiding within the school premises. The governor confirmed that the attacker later used the same firearm to end his own life.
Among the wounded were 10 students, four teachers, a canteen worker, and a police officer, with some in critical condition being transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital. The motive behind the attack remains unknown, as such incidents are uncommon in Turkey.
The attacker, who had no prior criminal record, committed the act in a school considered safe without a permanent police presence. Governor Hasan Sildak labeled the incident as a “singular event.” Reports suggested that the assailant had made threats on social media before the shooting.
One student recounted the terrifying experience, mentioning that he and a classmate escaped by jumping out of a classroom window as the attacker entered and began firing without uttering a word. Video footage captured the chaotic scene as students fled the school after the assailant refused to surrender and was eventually cornered by police, leading to his self-inflicted demise.
Authorities assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the tragic incident as students and faculty members were evacuated from the school premises.