Tragic Shooting Near Turkish High School Leaves Multiple Injured

Shooting Incident in Turgutlu District

Ankara: On Tuesday, a gunman opened fire near a vocational high school in the Turgutlu district of Manisa province, injuring at least 11 individuals, according to local authorities. The suspected shooter has been apprehended.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek reported that among the injured, two individuals are in critical condition.

The incident occurred outside the school, prompting immediate responses from police and medical teams.

Reports from HaberTurk indicate that the shooter was a student at the institution, who allegedly used a shotgun taken from his grandmother's home to fire indiscriminately before attempting to escape on foot.

The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, although Gurlek mentioned that two chief prosecutors have been assigned to investigate, including allegations of bullying against the student.

As part of the ongoing investigation, the shooter's parents and grandfather, who owned the firearm, have been taken into custody.

Parents, filled with anxiety, rushed to the school, leading to confrontations with police who were restricting access to the premises, as reported by Cumhuriyet newspaper.

This incident follows two previous school shootings in Turkey earlier this year, which had already raised concerns about safety in educational institutions. In response, the government had heightened security measures at schools at the beginning of the academic year.

In April, a former student injured 16 people, primarily students, in a shooting at a high school in Sanliurfa province before taking his own life. The following day, a 14-year-old student opened fire in classrooms in Kahramanmaraş province, resulting in the deaths of eight students and a teacher, along with injuries to 13 others.