Nine Killed in School Shooting in Kahramanmaras, Turkey

A 14-year-old student opened fire on two classrooms at a middle school in Kahramanmaras province, Turkey, on April 15, 2026, killing nine people and wounding 13 others, according to Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci. Six of the injured are reported to be in serious condition. The gunman, who was armed with five firearms and seven magazines, was killed during the incident.

Authorities stated that the weapons belonged to his father, a retired police officer. Parents rushed to the school in Kahramanmaras’ Onikisubat district after hearing reports of the attack. This shooting follows a separate incident on April 14, 2026, when a former student opened fire at a high school in Sanliurfa province, wounding 16 people, mostly students.

The assailant in that case, identified as Isa Aras Mersinli, subsequently killed himself. Mersinli's father has been detained for questioning. In response to the shootings, Turkish authorities have imposed a ban on the broadcast of traumatic images from the Kahramanmaras shooting and warned media organizations to limit coverage to official statements.

On April 16, 2026, thousands of teachers protested across Turkey, and police ordered the arrest of individuals accused of praising or spreading false information about the shootings online.