A school shooting in Mereş (Kahramanmaraş), Northern Kurdistan, has left at least nine people dead and 13 others wounded, according to Turkish officials. The attack took place on Wednesday and marks the second school shooting reported in the region within two days.
Authorities said the suspected gunman was a teenage student, believed to be around 13 or 14 years old. He was found dead at the scene. Officials stated that he entered the school carrying firearms believed to belong to his father and opened fire inside classrooms.
Earlier reports confirmed that a teacher and several students were among the victims. Updated figures from officials now place the death toll at nine, with at least 13 injured. Several of the wounded remain in intensive care, and some are in critical condition.
Local officials said the attacker brought multiple weapons and magazines in his backpack. He reportedly moved between classrooms and fired randomly. It remains unclear whether his death was self-inflicted or occurred during the chaos of the incident.
Emergency services responded quickly. Ambulances transported victims to nearby hospitals while security forces sealed off the area. Video from the scene showed distressed parents gathered outside the school as authorities worked to manage the aftermath.
The school shooting in Mereş has raised urgent concerns about safety in educational institutions. Turkey’s Justice Ministry confirmed that an investigation is underway, with prosecutors assigned to examine the circumstances of the attack.
This incident follows another shooting just one day earlier in Riha (Sanliurfa), where an ex-student opened fire at a high school, injuring 16 people before taking his own life. Authorities have not confirmed any link between the two attacks.
Officials and political leaders have begun calling for stronger school security measures. Discussions include increased surveillance, tighter entry controls, and a larger security presence around schools.
The back-to-back attacks have drawn attention to what many now describe as a growing security concern. School shootings have historically been rare in Turkey, where firearm ownership is tightly regulated. However, the recent incidents have shifted public focus toward enforcement gaps and access to weapons.
The school shooting in Mereş now stands as one of the deadliest recent attacks on a school in the region, adding pressure on authorities to respond with immediate policy and security changes.
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