It began like any ordinary school day in the corridors: the noise of break time, the rush between classrooms, fragments of conversations. But within seconds, the familiar bustle turned into screams, panic, and the chaotic thunder of running footsteps.
At first, no one could understand what was happening. Students threw themselves to the floor, hid under desks, ran into the hallways, and some, desperate to escape, even jumped from first-floor windows just to get away.
Witnesses recall that the attacker acted in complete silence, without any warning. He moved between the schoolyard and the classrooms, opening fire in different parts of the building, turning the first few minutes into pure terror and confusion.
Only later did it become clear that the tragedy had unfolded in southeastern Turkey, at Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in the Siverek district of Şanlıurfa province. According to preliminary reports, at least 18 people were injured, including students, teachers, a police officer, and a cafeteria worker.
According to local authorities, the gunman was identified as a former student, a 19-year-old young man who had studied there for only one year in ninth grade. He entered the school grounds with a weapon, first opening fire in the yard before rushing inside the building.
Witnesses say the young man entered at least two classrooms. One of the injured students later told journalists that in the first seconds, the whole class simply dropped to the floor, unable to believe that this was really happening. Moments later, several students decided to save themselves by jumping out of the window.
Special security forces and dozens of ambulances rushed to the scene almost immediately. Some of the injured were taken to the district hospital, while several in more serious condition were transferred to medical facilities in central Şanlıurfa. The school was fully evacuated, and all classes were halted at once.
The provincial governor confirmed that the school had previously been considered safe and had not been seen as high-risk. Preliminary checks also showed that the attacker had no criminal record, which only deepened the shock among local residents and parents.
After police surrounded the building, the attacker was found dead. Authorities have now launched a full investigation to determine what exactly led to the bloody assault that, in just a few minutes, turned an ordinary school day into one of the region’s most shocking tragedies.
