Suspect detained after school shooting in Türkiye leaves 11 injured

A shooting outside a high school in western Türkiye left 11 students injured on Tuesday morning, prompting a comprehensive investigation and the detention of the suspect and his family members, reported Xinhua.

The incident occurred in front of Inci Uzmez Anatolian Technical High School in the Turgutlu district at around 8 a.m. local time (0500 GMT). At least two of the injured are in critical condition, with three receiving intensive care treatment following surgery.

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci, speaking to reporters after visiting the injured at a hospital in Manisa, said the suspect, a 15-year-old student at the same school, identified by his initials H.O., opened fire on his schoolmates with a pump-action shotgun.

The weapon was registered to the boy's grandmother and had been taken directly from his grandfather's house, Ciftci noted.

Security camera footage from a nearby business showed the teenager arriving on the street armed with the shotgun and later fleeing on foot. Police traced his escape route using the surveillance video and apprehended him shortly afterward.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced that the boy's parents and grandfather had been taken into custody.

To investigate the incident and identify any potential negligence, the government has dispatched six chief inspectors, two civil and two police inspectors from the interior ministry, alongside two from the education ministry. A criminal investigation led by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is also underway.

Authorities are investigating how the firearm came into the juvenile's possession, the conditions under which it was stored, and the parents' responsibilities regarding his care and supervision, Gurlek said.

Claims that the juvenile had experienced peer bullying before the incident are also being investigated, he added.

In response, 20 psychosocial support teams have been deployed to assist the affected children and their families, with the number expected to rise to 27 by Wednesday, Ciftci noted.

Education Minister Yusuf Tekin also traveled to Manisa to oversee the emergency response. Following his visit, the ministry suspended classes at the targeted high school for one day and promised a thorough investigation to ensure a safe environment for all students.

The Manisa incident occurred just a day after the government announced new nationwide security measures to address public concerns over school safety.

Under a protocol signed on Monday, 31,000 guards were assigned to schools, and police were deployed based on specific risk levels. Security forces were also ordered to regularly inspect nearby internet cafes, gaming venues, and school buses.

These strict measures follow two deadly school shootings earlier this year. An attack in the southeastern Sanliurfa province left 16 injured and the attacker dead on April 14, while nine people were killed in the southern city of Kahramanmaras the next day.