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Global Affairs
Turkey School Shooting Kills Nine, Second Attack in Two Days
Key Takeaways
- 1.Turkish schools may face tightened security measures
- 2.Firearm storage rules could face stricter enforcement
- 3.Father's detention may signal broader legal scrutiny of gun ownership
April 16, 2026 · 1 min read · By Rishabh Bhardwaj
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AI-assisted, human-reviewed · Our editorial standards
An eighth-grade student opened fire at a school in Kahramanmaras province, southern Turkey, on Wednesday, killing nine people and wounding 13, with six survivors in intensive care and three in critical condition. The attack is Turkey's second school shooting in two days, following a Tuesday incident in Sanliurfa province in which a former student wounded at least 16 people before killing himself. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed the revised toll after earlier reports had cited four dead and 20 wounded. The Kahramanmaras governor, Mukerrem Unluer, said the attacker entered two classrooms and fired randomly, carrying five guns and seven magazines believed to belong to his father, a former police officer. The shooter died during the incident; it remains unclear whether from suicide or crossfire. Video verified by AFP shows students jumping from a first-floor window as gunfire continues, with roughly 15 shots audible over 90 seconds. Police detained the shooter's father, Ugur Mersinli. Interior and education ministers traveled to Kahramanmaras, and Justice Minister Akin Gurlek confirmed prosecutors launched an immediate investigation. The consecutive attacks will intensify scrutiny of firearm storage rules and school security protocols across Turkey.
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