Former Student Opens Fire at High School Leaving 16 Injured

Panic erupted at a high school in southeastern Turkey after a former student stormed onto campus and opened fire, leaving at least 16 people injured in a terrifying morning attack.

Authorities say the gunman, described as being in his late teens, showed up at Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in the Siverek district around 9:30 a.m. local time and began firing “indiscriminately with a shotgun.” The chaos only ended when police cornered him and he turned the weapon on himself, according to local governor Hasan Şildak.

Among the injured are 10 students, four teachers, a cafeteria worker, and a police officer. Emergency crews rushed victims to nearby hospitals, with several later transferred for more advanced care. The school was quickly evacuated as terrified students and staff fled for safety.

While school shootings are rare in Turkey, early reports suggest this may not have come completely out of nowhere. Local media say the suspect had recently posted chilling warnings on the school’s social media, claiming an attack would happen “in a few days.”

Witnesses described a scene of pure horror. One person said the shooter walked calmly into the schoolyard before suddenly pulling out a pump-action-style shotgun and opening fire in all directions.

“He immediately started shooting left and right… then ran inside and kept firing at anyone in front of him,” the witness recalled, as screams from students and teachers filled the campus.

One student, identified as Ömer Furkan Sayar, said the gunman entered multiple classrooms—including his own.

“First we threw ourselves to the ground, then two of us jumped out the window,” he said. “He didn’t say anything. He just came in and started shooting.”

Officials say the suspect had no prior criminal record, and the motive remains unclear as investigators work to piece together what led to the shocking attack.