Turkish School Shooting: 11 Injured, 15‑Year‑Old Suspect Detained

Wed Sep 23 2026 22:17:33 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A gunman fired outside the Inci Uzmez Vocational High School in Manisa, wounding eleven students and taking a 15‑year‑old suspect into custody.

In a tragic incident near the Inci Uzmez Vocational & Technical Anatolian High School, a suspected gunman opened fire, injuring eleven students, two of whom remain in critical condition. Police captured a 15‑year‑old suspect and brought his mother, father, and grandfather—who owned the shotgun—to a hearing. This marks the third school shooting in Turkey this year, following earlier attacks in April that prompted tighter gun‑control measures. The incident comes amid growing concerns over juvenile gun violence and heightened security in Turkish schools.

Turkish School Shooting: 11 Injured, 15‑Year‑Old Suspect Detained

A stray gun wielded by a 15‑year‑old fired in front of the Inci Uzmez Vocational & Technical Anatolian High School in Manisa, throwing a crater of panic and blood into the morning air. Eleven students suffered gunshot wounds, with two reported in critical condition as authorities combed the scene.

Police actions were swift: the teenage suspect was apprehended and his family—his mother, father and grandfather who allegedly owned the firearm—were also detained on charges related to illegal possession. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek confirmed the victim list and the suspect’s background in a statement.

This violent outburst is Turkey’s third school shooting in twelve months, a startling statistic given the nation’s prior absence of such incidents. The 2026‑2027 academic year will begin under reinforced security protocols: tighter gun‑control laws, increased surveillance, and mandatory school-based safety drills, following the April catastrophe in Kahramanmaras that saw nine students killed.

Video footage from the Turkish Ministry of Interior shows the suspect walking calmly with a shotgun, later sprinting to escape. The motive—if any—remains unclear, yet the authorities are determined to follow legal procedures under Turkish law, requiring court appearances for the juvenile before arrest.

The national education ministry expressed profound sorrow, deploying three investigators to Manisa to support investigations and to reinforce community trust. They acknowledged that this tragedy highlights a looming threat to educational institutions worldwide, spurring a call for systemic reforms to prevent a repeat.