A teenage gunman opened fire outside a high school in Turgutlu, Manisa province, injuring 11 people—two seriously—before being detained, Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said. Investigators have also detained the suspect's parents and grandfather as they probe how the minor obtained the weapon and reports of prior bullying. The education ministry suspended classes for the day; the shooting follows two deadly school attacks in April that prompted vows for tighter gun controls and new school security measures for 2026–2027.
Teenager Detained After School Shooting in Manisa; 11 Students Injured, Two Seriously
At least 11 wounded in shooting outside Turkey school, suspect detained
A teenager opened fire outside a high school in Turgutlu, Manisa province, in western Turkey at about 8:00 a.m. local time (7:00 a.m. CEST) on Tuesday, injuring 11 people before being detained by police, authorities said.
"Eleven students were injured, two of them seriously," Justice Minister Akin Gürlek wrote on X.
People stand at the courtyard of a secondary school where an assailant opened fire in Kahramanmaraş, 15 April, 2026 - AP Photo
Police and emergency responders converged on the scene as panicked parents gathered outside the school. Local news agencies broadcast CCTV images that appear to show a young man in dark clothing carrying a long‑barrelled firearm. Some outlets, including NTV, reported the weapon was a shotgun.
Video from outside the school showed officers wrestling a man in a white shirt to the ground and taking him into custody. Authorities said the suspect is a minor; investigators also detained his parents and grandfather while probing how the weapon came into the youth's possession and whether bullying or other motives played a role.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attends the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek, 1 September, 2026 - AP Photo
Investigation Under Way
Justice Minister Akin Gürlek said investigators are examining "how the weapon used in the attack ended up in the minor's hands, the conditions under which it was kept and supervised, and allegations of bullying prior to the incident." The education ministry suspended classes at the school for the rest of the day as the inquiry continues.
Context and Government Measures
School shootings are rare in Turkey, but public outrage followed two deadly school attacks in April. In Kahramanmaraş, a 14‑year‑old gunman killed a teacher and nine pupils; the attacker died at the scene. A day earlier in Şanlıurfa, another teenager wounded 16 people before taking his own life when confronted by police.
People stand at the courtyard of a secondary school where an assailant opened fire in Kahramanmaraş, 15 April, 2026 - AP Photo
In response to the April attacks, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan dismissed a deputy education minister and pledged tighter controls on gun ownership and increased school safety measures. The Turgutlu shooting came a day after Education Minister Yusuf Tekin and Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi signed a protocol outlining security measures for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Çiftçi said authorities had strengthened school security and deployed 31,000 school‑grounds supervisors for the academic year. The interior ministry reported fresh security assessments, permanent police postings at higher‑risk schools, liaison officers at lower‑risk schools, regular patrols focused on security and juvenile issues, and plans to inspect school buses and review abandoned buildings near schools.
Authorities have opened a formal investigation into the incident. Further details, including the motive and the exact type and source of the weapon, were not immediately released.
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