Student kills four in Turkey’s second school shooting in two days

A teenage student shot at least four people dead ​including three fellow pupils and wounded at least 20 others ‌at a middle school in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday, the local governor said, marking the country’s second school attack in two days.

Three students and one ​teacher died in the attack in the province of ​Kahramanmaras, Governor Mukerrem Unluer told reporters, adding the shooter had ⁠shot and killed himself in the commotion.

“An eighth-grade student came ​with 5 weapons and 7 magazines – which we believe to be ​his former police officer father’s – in his bag, entered two classrooms where fifth grade students were, causing deaths and injuries indiscriminately,” Unluer said.

Eighth-grade students in Turkey ​are usually aged 13 or 14, and those in the fifth ​grade are aged 10 and 11.

The governor added that four of the wounded ‌were ⁠in critical condition and undergoing surgery.

School shootings are very rare in Turkey.

Unverified footage showed several students jumping from a second-storey window at the school as gunshots echoed around the grounds. Unverified CCTV footage ​from the school ​showed the attacker ⁠shooting two students walking down a hallway.

Television footage from the school grounds on Wednesday showed ambulances ​arriving at the school where police and crowds had ​gathered ⁠by the gate. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said on X that an investigation had been launched into the attack.

On Tuesday, a former student opened fire at a school in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa, injuring at least 16 people, including students and teachers, before taking his own life.