Turkey School Shooting: Teenager Opens Fire Outside High School, Injures 11
At least 11 students have been injured after a teenager opened fire outside a high school in western Turkey, triggering panic among students, parents and residents in the surrounding community.
The attack occurred at about 8:00 a.m. local time in Turgutlu, in Manisa province near the western city of Izmir, according to the regional governor’s office.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said the suspected attacker, who is a minor, was quickly apprehended by police and taken into custody. Two of the injured students are reported to be in serious condition.
Investigators have also detained the suspect’s parents and grandfather as part of efforts to establish how the weapon came into the teenager’s possession and the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Authorities are also examining reports of possible bullying involving the suspect before the shooting.
Footage released by local media showed a young man dressed in dark clothing walking along a street while carrying what appeared to be a long-barrelled firearm. Other images showed a person believed to be the same suspect running with the weapon.
Local reports identified the firearm as a shotgun.
Images from the scene showed heavily armed police and emergency responders converging on the school as anxious parents gathered outside. In one video, officers were seen restraining a man in a white shirt before taking him away, while frightened onlookers watched and recorded the incident on their mobile phones.
The Turkish Education Ministry suspended classes at the affected school for the remainder of the day as authorities launched a full investigation.
Renewed concerns over school security
The shooting has reignited concerns about school safety in Turkey, coming just months after two separate attacks at schools in the south of the country.
In April, a 14-year-old opened fire at a school in Kahramanmaras, killing a teacher and nine students aged between 10 and 11. The attacker died at the scene.
A day earlier, another teenager attacked his former high school in Sanliurfa, southeastern Turkey, injuring 16 people before taking his own life after being confronted by police.
The incidents prompted renewed public concern over security in Turkish schools and led the government to promise tighter controls on firearms and stronger measures to protect students and staff.
Security measures strengthened
The latest shooting also comes just one day after Turkey announced additional security measures for the 2026–2027 academic year, which began on September 14.
Under the new arrangements, about 31,000 school security supervisors have been deployed, while authorities have carried out fresh security assessments of schools across the country.
Police officers have been assigned to schools classified as being at the highest levels of risk, where they will remain on permanent duty.
Schools considered lower risk will instead have designated police liaison officers working with school administrations to monitor security and respond to potential threats.
Authorities say the measures are intended to strengthen school security and prevent further incidents as investigations into the latest attack continue.
