Pupil kills nine, injures 13 in second Turkey school shooting in two days

A 13-year-old student opened fire at a school in Kahramanmaras on Wednesday, killing nine people and injuring 13, authorities said. The attack marks the second school shooting in Turkey within two days.

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed the updated toll, noting that six of the injured are in intensive care, with three in critical condition.

According to the province’s governor, Mukerrem Unluer, the attacker was an eighth-grade student who brought multiple firearms to school in his backpack. He reportedly entered two classrooms and fired indiscriminately.

Officials said the weapons are believed to have belonged to the boy’s father, a former police officer. The suspect was carrying five guns and seven magazines during the attack.

The student died at the scene. Authorities are still determining whether he died by suicide or was killed during the incident.

Police have detained the father, identified by state media as Ugur Mersinli, as part of an ongoing investigation.

Videos circulating from the scene show students jumping from first-floor windows to escape the gunfire, while others fled through the school grounds. Emergency responders and ambulances were deployed as distressed parents gathered outside.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said prosecutors have launched an immediate investigation.

The shooting follows a similar incident on Tuesday in Sanliurfa, where a former student wounded 16 people at a high school before taking his own life.

Addressing lawmakers, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said any negligence linked to the attacks would be identified and punished.

Opposition leader Ozgur Ozel called for stricter school security, describing the incidents as evidence of a broader safety concern rather than isolated events. He urged tighter access control, increased security personnel, improved surveillance systems and stronger emergency preparedness in schools.

School shootings have been rare in Turkey, where gun ownership is tightly regulated through licensing, background checks and strict penalties for illegal possession.