At least 11 students were injured, several seriously, after a 15-year-old student allegedly opened fire with a shotgun outside his high school in western Turkey Tuesday morning.
The shooting happened around 8 a.m. on Sept. 22 outside İnci Üzmez Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Turgutlu, a district in Manisa province roughly 275 miles south of Istanbul.
Authorities said the ninth-grade student approached the school carrying a shotgun and opened fire near the entrance as students were arriving for classes.
At least 11 students were wounded. Early official reports differed slightly on the number of serious injuries, with some Turkish outlets reporting two students in critical condition and the Associated Press reporting three critically wounded.
The suspect fled on foot after the shooting but was captured shortly afterward, authorities said.
Police also detained his parents and grandfather as investigators began looking into how the teenager obtained the weapon.
Turkey’s Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said prosecutors are examining several disturbing questions surrounding the attack, including how the gun came into the teenager’s possession, how it had been stored and whether adults responsible for supervising him may have failed in their duties.
Investigators are also looking into reports that the suspect had previously been bullied. Authorities have not announced a definitive motive.
The Associated Press reported that the shotgun had been taken from the home of the teen’s grandparents. Officials said two chief prosecutors were assigned to oversee the criminal investigation.
Security footage circulating in Turkish media reportedly shows a person carrying a long gun walking toward the school before later fleeing the area.
The shooting triggered panic among families, with worried parents rushing to the school after learning what had happened. Local reports said tensions briefly flared when some parents attempted to get past police and enter the campus.
Turkey’s Ministry of National Education confirmed that the attack occurred outside the school building and said classes were suspended for the rest of the day. Three ministry inspectors were dispatched to Manisa to conduct a separate investigation.
Psychological support teams were also sent to help students, teachers and parents shaken by the violence.
The ministry said police, emergency medical crews and other government agencies responded immediately after the first reports of gunfire.
The attack comes only days after Manisa officials met to discuss security measures for the new school year, including increased police presence around schools and programs aimed at preventing bullying, crime and other threats to students.
It also follows two deadly school shootings in Turkey earlier this year, incidents that sparked widespread concern and prompted authorities to strengthen school-security measures.
The investigation remains active, and authorities have not yet publicly explained what prompted the teenager to allegedly walk toward his school armed with a shotgun and open fire on fellow students.
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