Four people were killed and at least 20 others wounded after a student opened fire at a middle school in Turkey’s south-central Kahramanmaras province on Wednesday, marking the country’s second school shooting in two days.
Authorities said the victims included three students and one teacher, while several of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
The attack follows a separate shooting a day earlier in southeastern Sanliurfa province, where a former student wounded 16 people before killing himself during a confrontation with police.
Governor Mukerrem Unluer said the Kahramanmaras shooting was carried out by an eighth-grade student who brought firearms belonging to his father into the school.
He stated the attacker entered two classrooms and opened fire randomly.
Local media reports indicated the suspect carried multiple weapons and ammunition, though officials have not confirmed all details.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and there has been no official statement regarding the attacker’s current status.
Witnesses described hearing sustained gunfire, with one account noting, "The sound of gunfire was very intense."
Footage from the scene showed ambulances transporting victims and distressed parents gathering outside the school amid heightened security.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek confirmed that prosecutors have launched an immediate investigation into the incident.
Police secured the area as emergency services responded, and authorities began examining the circumstances surrounding both recent attacks.
The back-to-back shootings have drawn attention due to their rarity in Turkey, where such incidents are uncommon.
A previous case in May 2024 involved a former student who killed a school principal in Istanbul months after being expelled.
Officials have not indicated whether there is any connection between the two latest attacks.
The developments have intensified concerns about school safety and access to firearms as investigations continue across multiple provinces.