At least 11 people were injured, including two critically, after a gunman opened fire outside a vocational high school in western Turkey on Tuesday morning, authorities said. Police arrested the suspected shooter shortly after the attack as investigators launched both criminal and administrative inquiries.
The shooting occurred at around 8:00 a.m. local time outside İnci Üzmez Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Turgutlu district, Manisa province, as students were arriving for classes. Emergency services, police and ambulances were dispatched to the scene after reports of gunfire near the school.
Security camera footage released by Turkish media showed an armed individual carrying a shotgun while walking near the school before fleeing the area moments after the shooting. Authorities later detained the suspect and secured the weapon used in the attack.
The Manisa governor’s office confirmed that 11 students were injured, with two in critical condition after being transported to nearby hospitals. Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said prosecutors had opened a judicial investigation into the attack.
Initial reports from Turkish broadcasters indicated the suspect is a 15-year-old ninth-grade student at the same school. Officials have not formally confirmed his identity or age, but authorities are investigating reports that he may have experienced bullying before the attack.
Turkish authorities also detained the suspect’s parents and grandfather, who reportedly owned the shotgun used in the shooting, as investigators examine whether negligence in storing the firearm contributed to the incident.
The Turkish Ministry of National Education described the shooting as a tragedy that had “deeply saddened” the country and the education community. The ministry suspended classes at the school for the day, deployed three inspectors to investigate the incident and sent psychosocial support teams to assist students, teachers and families.
The attack has renewed concerns about school safety in Turkey following two deadly school shootings in April 2026 that left students and teachers dead or wounded. Those incidents prompted the government to strengthen security measures at schools for the 2026–27 academic year, including deploying thousands of security personnel and tightening oversight of firearm access.
