A shooting at a high school in southeastern Turkey has left at least 16 people wounded, marking a rare act of violence in a country where school shootings are uncommon.
The incident unfolded Tuesday at a vocational high school in Siverek, located in Sanliurfa province. An 18-year-old former student, armed with a shotgun, fired randomly through the building before taking his own life when cornered by police, according to Gov. Hasan Sildak.
The attack wounded 10 students, four teachers, one canteen employee, and a police officer. While most victims received treatment at local facilities in Siverek, five individuals with more serious injuries were transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital for specialized care.
Eyewitness Accounts Describe Chaotic Scene
Students described moments of terror as the gunman moved through classrooms. One student, Omer Furkan Sayar, recounted the horrifying sequence to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
"He suddenly entered the classroom and fired. He fired four or five times. Two people were hit. He then went into the next classroom," Sayar said. "We first threw ourselves to the ground and then two of us jumped out of the window."
Video footage captured the immediate aftermath, showing dozens of students evacuating toward the school gates and onto surrounding streets as emergency responders arrived.
Investigation Underway as Motive Remains Unclear
Authorities have not yet determined what motivated the attack. Gov. Sildak noted the attacker had no criminal record and described the shooting as an "isolated incident."
However, media reports indicate the assailant had made threatening posts on social media prior to the shooting. Police special operations units were deployed after the gunman refused to surrender.
"The individual was cornered inside the building through police intervention and died after shooting himself," Sildak told reporters, pledging a "comprehensive" investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The school had been classified as safe with no permanent police officer assigned to provide security, the governor added.
This report is based on information from CBS News and the Associated Press.