Gunman opens fire near high school in western Turkiye, wounding eight

On Tuesday morning in Turgutlu, Manisa province, a gunman opened fire outside a high school, injuring eight individuals before being apprehended by law enforcement. School shootings are uncommon in Turkey, though two incidents in April prompted widespread outrage. The attacker, a young man dressed in black and carrying what appeared to be a rifle, was captured on CCTV footage and described by media outlets such as IHA news agency and NTV private television.

Upon arriving at the scene, police confronted the suspect, who was subdued and led away by authorities. The incident follows two school shootings in April, which heightened public concerns over school safety. In response, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged to implement stricter gun control measures and emphasized school safety as a top priority.

New security protocols were implemented for the upcoming academic year, including the deployment of 31,000 school grounds supervisors and enhanced police surveillance at high-risk schools.