Nine Killed, Including Teacher and Eight Students, in School Shooting in Turkey

Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, April 16, 2026 — A 14-year-old eighth-grade student opened fire at Ayser Çalık Secondary School in the Onikişubat district of Kahramanmaraş province on Wednesday, killing nine people — one teacher and eight students — and wounding 13 others, six of whom are in critical condition.
According to provincial Governor Mukerrem Ünluer, the attacker, identified as İsa Aras Mersinli, used five firearms and seven magazines believed to belong to his father, a former police officer. He fired in two classrooms before turning the gun on himself.
Turkey’s Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi confirmed the death toll, stating that eight pupils and one teacher lost their lives in the attack.
In response, authorities have closed all schools in the Kahramanmaraş province for two days. This incident marks the second school shooting in Turkey within two days, following a similar attack in Şanlıurfa on Tuesday.
The tragic event has shocked the nation, where school shootings are relatively rare. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior officials expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Investigations are ongoing, including into how the minor obtained access to the weapons.