A 3-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS STRUCK BY GUNFIRE AS POLICE BURST INTO A BARRICADED ROOM, ENDING A FRIGHTENING HOSTAGE SITUATION.(PHOTO).
A 13-year-old student opened fire at a school in southern Turkey on Wednesday, killing nine people and injuring 13 others in an attack that sent students scrambling for safety, including some who jumped from windows to escape gunfire. Officials said the incident unfolded in Kahramanmaras province, where mass shootings have historically been rare, and marked the second school shooting in the country in as many days.
Authorities said the eighth-grade student arrived at school carrying multiple firearms believed to belong to his father, a former police officer. He allegedly entered two classrooms and opened fire randomly, causing multiple casualties before the situation ended in chaos. Officials said the suspect was carrying five guns and several magazines, and he later died during the incident. Investigators said it is not yet clear whether his death was a suicide or occurred amid the confusion. Police have detained the student’s father as part of the investigation.
Emergency officials initially reported lower casualty figures before confirming the death toll had risen to nine, with six of the injured remaining in intensive care and several in critical condition. Video from the scene showed panicked students fleeing classrooms, with some escaping through windows as gunfire echoed through the building.
The attack prompted a major security response, with police securing the school and emergency teams rushing to the area. Senior government officials, including interior and education authorities, traveled to the province as prosecutors opened an investigation into the shooting.
The shooting came just one day after another former student opened fire at a high school in a separate province, injuring 16 people before dying in a confrontation with police. Ten of the victims in that earlier incident were students.
The back-to-back attacks have intensified debate over school security in the country, with officials and opposition leaders calling for stronger protective measures, including increased security presence at school entrances, expanded surveillance systems, and improved emergency preparedness plans.
Political leaders have also pledged accountability for any negligence linked to the incidents, while law enforcement continues to investigate both shootings. School shootings have been relatively rare in Turkey in recent years, though isolated incidents have occurred, including a fatal attack on a school principal in 2024 following an expulsion.
Authorities say investigations remain ongoing into the latest shooting, including how the student obtained access to multiple firearms and what may have led to the attack.
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