A 19-year-old former student opened fire at a technical high school in Siverek, a district in the southeastern Turkish province of Şanlıurfa, on Tuesday, wounding 16 people before taking his own life. The attack — rare in a country with strict gun control laws — sent students fleeing in panic, with some jumping from windows to escape.

According to Şanlıurfa's governor, Hasan Şıldak, who travelled to the scene, the attacker entered the school armed with a hunting rifle and began shooting in the courtyard before moving inside the building. Among the 16 wounded were ten students, four teachers, a police officer, and a canteen worker. Five of the most seriously injured were transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital, while others received treatment locally. Twelve people remained hospitalised following the attack. After barricading himself inside and refusing to surrender, the attacker was cornered by special security forces and killed himself, Şıldak confirmed.

The motive for the attack remains unknown, and authorities have launched a thorough investigation. Turkish officials evacuated the building and deployed specialist security units to the school. Television footage showed ambulances gathered outside as students streamed out of the building.

School shootings are exceptionally rare in Turkey, where firearms regulations are considerably stricter than in countries such as the United States. However, local civil society groups have noted that thousands of weapons are believed to circulate illegally within the country, suggesting that legal restrictions do not eliminate access to firearms entirely.

The incident has prompted wider concern in Turkey about school safety and the availability of illegal weapons. Authorities have not yet indicated whether any systemic security measures at schools will be reviewed in the wake of the attack.