Four Dead, Twenty Injured in Middle School Shooting in Southeastern Turkey

A student opened fire in two classrooms at a middle school in Kahramanmaras province, southeastern Turkey, on Wednesday, resulting in four fatalities and leaving 20 others wounded, according to provincial authorities.

Provincial Governor Mukerrem Unluer confirmed that among the deceased are one teacher and three students. At least four of those injured are reported to be in critical condition. The identity of the shooter was released by state-run media as Isa Aras Mersinli, who died during the incident. Authorities stated that the guns believed to have been used were registered to his father, a retired police officer. Mersinli reportedly carried five firearms and seven magazines into the school.

This attack follows a shooting at a high school in Sanliurfa province just one day prior, where a former student wounded 16 individuals and later took his own life. Such shootings have previously been rare in Turkey, making these back-to-back incidents a point of heightened concern.

Emergency services, including police and ambulances, responded swiftly to the school in the Onikisubat district after reports of gunfire. Visuals from the scene showed individuals being transported by ambulance, while parents gathered outside the school as police secured the area.

In the aftermath, Turkish authorities have detained the shooter’s father for questioning and have imposed restrictions on the broadcasting of graphic footage from the scene, instructing media outlets to rely on official statements.

The motive for the attack remains unclear. The investigation is ongoing, and local officials have urged restraint in news coverage while authorities work to establish the full details.