Nine people, including eight children, were killed in a shooting at a middle school in Türkiye’s southeastern Kahramanmaraş province on Wednesday. Thirteen others were injured, sparking public outrage and raising concerns about a rare phenomenon in the country.
The incident in Kahramanmaraş came only two days after a separate shooting in nearby Şanlıurfa province, where a 19-year-old former student opened fire on a high school.
Sixteen people were injured in that attack, including both students and teachers, before the gunman took his own life.
Authorities have since launched investigations into both incidents and stepped up security around schools in the region.
Reactions to the twin shootings have been swift, with parents expressing fear and anger, while educators have called for stronger safeguards.
Local newspaper headlines have described the events as a “national tragedy” and an “unprecedented shock” to Türkiye’s education system.
Officials have been quick to note that such shootings are extremely rare in Türkiye, where strict gun laws and social dynamics have historically limited school violence.
Unlike in some other countries, most notably the U.S., school shootings are not a common phenomenon in Türkiye, making the two recent attacks particularly concerning.
On Thursday, the local press reported that the 14-year-old who carried out the shooting in Kahramanmaraş had used an image referencing American mass shooter Elliot Rodger as a social media profile photo.
The young perpetrator’s father, a police officer, was reportedly arrested after telling investigators that he had taken his son to a police firing range two days before the attack.
In any event, this week’s twin shootings are expected to prompt renewed debate over the state of mental health among the nation’s youth, school security, and access to firearms.
Officials, for their part, say support is being provided to victims and their families.
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