Turkey school shooting leaves eight injured, suspect detained

On Tuesday morning, a gunman opened fire outside a high school in western Turkey, injuring eight people before being apprehended by police, according to local officials. The incident occurred around 8am (0500 GMT) in Turgutlu, a province located near the western resort city of Izmir. School shootings are uncommon in Turkey, though two occurred consecutively in April in southern Turkey, igniting public outrage.

Multiple news agencies, such as IHA news agency and NTV private television, reported that students were among the injured. CCTV footage showed the alleged attacker, a young man dressed in black jeans, a black jacket, and a green top, carrying what appeared to be a rifle.

Footage from the school area displayed police subduing a man in a white shirt and leading him away, while a woman screamed in anguish, with onlookers filming the scene on their mobile phones. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. The governor’s office announced that school safety remains a top priority for the Turkish government.

Shortly after the attack, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin and Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci signed a protocol detailing security measures for the upcoming academic year, which started on September 14. Ciftci emphasized the need for heightened vigilance during the 2026-2027 school year and highlighted the deployment of 31,000 school grounds supervisors for the first time.

The interior ministry also conducted a thorough security assessment of schools, assigning police officers to high-risk institutions, and assigned police liaison officers to lower-risk schools. Regular patrols around schools would be conducted by police charged with monitoring security, public order, narcotics, and juvenile issues.

Authorities also vowed to inspect school buses and review abandoned buildings near educational institutions.