A terrifying incident occurred in Siverek, Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey, when a 19-year-old former student opened fire inside a school, injuring 16 people, including 10 students. The provincial governor revealed the attacker took his own life while surrounded by police.
Hasan Çıldak, Governor of Şanlıurfa Province, issued an urgent statement regarding the shooting at a school in Siverek district, which resulted in 16 injuries. He stated that the 19-year-old former student of that school decided to commit suicide at the scene after being pressured and surrounded by police officers, leaving no escape.
Initial investigations found that the 16 injured included 10 students, 4 teachers, 1 police officer, and 1 welfare store operator. The governor confirmed that there were no fatalities from the incident other than the perpetrator himself.
Currently, 12 of the injured are receiving treatment at the Siverek State Hospital, while 4 others with moderate injuries, including one student, were transferred to a fully equipped hospital in the city center for intensive care. Doctors reported that all are in stable condition and are being closely monitored.
Governor Çıldak revealed educational background information about the attacker, who had studied at the school until grade 9 before transferring to distance education. At the time of the incident, police acted swiftly to subdue the attacker and cornered him inside the school building. Realizing escape was impossible, the perpetrator decided to shoot himself.
Following the incident, authorities evacuated students and staff from the school for safety and temporarily closed the area to collect evidence. The prosecutor's office has launched a full legal investigation, while administrators are expediting a review of the school's security measures.
The governor emphasized that this incident was isolated and unrelated to other events but that a thorough retrospective investigation would be conducted to determine motives and all details. He also expressed condolences and offered support to the people of Siverek, the injured families, and education personnel nationwide.