Several people were injured at a high school in Turkey after a former student allegedly opened fire with a hunting rifle and then turned the weapon on himself. The shooting took place at Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in the Hasan Çelebi neighbourhood of the Siverek district in Şanlıurfa, where the 18-year-old attacker is believed to have discharged a weapon.
The shooter, who fired at everyone in his path, was born in 2007 and 16 people were injured in the ordeal, though that number has since risen to 17. He is believed to have taken a handful of students hostage. Authorities said the wounded included 12 students, 3 teachers, and 2 civilians.
According to NTV television, one of the injured teachers is in serious condition.
All those injured were taken to Siverek State Hospital for treatment, and it remains unclear whether any of the other injuries are life-threatening.
Governor Şıldak said: “We have 16 injured. The attacker is a former student of our school, born in 2007. The attacker took his own life. We evacuated the school. The incident is being investigated from all angles.”
Şıldak said the teen shooter entered the school grounds before he began firing randomly.
Terrifying footage from the scene shows gunfire echoing in and around the school building with students, teachers and local residents all fleeing the area in panic.
Special security forces raced to the scene and have evacuated the students following the incident. The motive of the attack remains unclear.
A witness told local news outlet Turkiye Today that the suspect entered the high school grounds carrying a long-barreled weapon and began opening fire.
“He first opened fire in the yard and then directly at the school,” the witness said.
Another eyewitness told local media he saw a young man around 17 or 18 years old. “He pulled out a long-barrelled gun. He fired at everyone in his path inside”, he said.
The suspect was previously seen arguing with a student before returning with a weapon, according to NTV Şanlıurfa correspondent Kadir Çelikcan.
