Turkey School Shootings: Nine Killed and 83 Arrested for Online Praise

Turkish authorities have ordered the arrest of 83 people following two school shootings that occurred within two days, after the individuals allegedly posted content online praising the attacks and the perpetrators.

The crackdown, which took place on April 16, 2026, included the blocking of 940 social media accounts and the closure of 93 Telegram groups. Police stated that the targeted individuals were found to have engaged in activities that praised crime and criminals, which negatively affected public order.

Kahramanmaras School Shooting

The most severe of the two incidents occurred on April 15, 2026, at Ayser Calik Secondary School in the southern province of Kahramanmaras. At least nine people were killed, including eight students aged 10 and 11, and a 55-year-old teacher.

Thirteen other people were wounded in the attack, with six of those victims reported to be in critical condition. The attacker, a 14-year-old student, entered two classrooms armed with five guns and seven magazines. The suspect was killed during the incident.

The local prosecutor’s office in Kahramanmaras reported that the suspect had planned the attack in advance. Investigators recovered a document from the suspect’s computer dated April 11, 2026, which indicated an intention to carry out a major operation in the near future.

Police also noted that the suspect had a photo of Elliot Rodger on his WhatsApp profile. Rodger was a 22-year-old American who killed six people before committing suicide in California in 2014.

The 14-year-old attacker was the son of a former police officer. Authorities have detained the suspect’s father, and local media reports indicate that the suspect’s mother, a teacher, has also been taken into custody.

Sanliurfa Incident

The Kahramanmaras shooting followed another attack on April 14, 2026, in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa. In that incident, an ex-student opened fire at his former high school, wounding 16 people.

Authorities stated that the suspect in the Sanliurfa attack took his own life after being cornered by police.

Funerals for the victims of the Kahramanmaras shooting were scheduled to take place on April 16, 2026, in the city of Kahramanmaras.