A shooting outside the Inci Uzmez Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Manisa, western Turkey, has left 11 people injured, with two in critical condition. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when a gunman opened fire before fleeing the scene. The injured are reportedly all students. Authorities have detained a 15-year-old male suspect in connection with the shooting.
The suspect, who is reportedly a student at the school, was seen on CCTV footage walking through empty streets checking a shotgun. He appeared casually dressed and unhurried. Later footage showed him running from the scene with the weapon still in hand. The motive behind the attack was not immediately clear. According to Turkish law, the teenager is required to appear before a court before being officially arrested.
The suspect's family members, including his mother, father, and grandfather, have been detained. The grandfather reportedly owned the weapon used in the shooting. Turkey's justice minister, Akın Gürlek, confirmed the detentions. The incident marks the third school shooting in Turkey this year, raising concerns about the country's ability to address the recent spate of violence.
The Turkish government has been grappling with how to address the recent school shootings. In April, two deadly attacks caused outrage, leading to new security measures for the 2026-2027 academic year, including tighter gun controls. Before then, Turkey did not have a history of school shootings. The government has been working to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Turkey's education ministry has sent three national investigators to Manisa to probe the incident. The ministry described the incident as one that had "deeply saddened our nation, and our educational community in particular". The investigators will work to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting and identify possible preventive measures.
The shooting in Manisa is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Turkish schools. In an attack in Kahramanmaras, a 14-year-old killed nine students aged 10 and 11, and one teacher. The gunman died at the scene. The recent incidents have raised concerns about school safety and the need for increased security measures.
The Turkish authorities are working to address the causes of the recent school shootings and prevent future incidents. The government has implemented new security measures, including tighter gun controls, to prevent similar incidents. The investigation into the Manisa shooting is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the motive behind the attack.
Key points
- A 15-year-old male suspect opened fire outside a high school in western Turkey, injuring 11 people, two critically.
- The incident marks the third school shooting in Turkey this year, raising concerns about the country's ability to address the recent spate of violence.
- Turkey's government has implemented new security measures, including tighter gun controls, to prevent similar incidents.
