Şanlıurfa Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School Attack (2026)

Armed Attack at Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Şanlıurfa Siverek (2026) is the armed attack that occurred on April 14, 2026, at the campus of Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in the Siverek district. Sixteen people were injured in the attack, most of them students, and the perpetrator was identified as a former student of the school. It was reported that the suspect took his own life after being pursued by security forces, and there were no fatalities in the incident.

Course of Events

In the early morning hours of April 14, 2026, an armed attack took place at the school located in Hasan Çelebi Neighborhood. The attacker is said to have entered the schoolyard with a pump-action rifle and opened fire randomly, then continued the assault along the corridors inside the school building.

Upon receiving the alert, medical teams, police, and special operations units were dispatched to the scene. During the security forces’ intervention, the majority of students at the school were evacuated. It was reported that the attacker ended his life just as he was about to be apprehended by security forces.

Following the incident, education at the school was temporarily suspended. In an official statement by provincial National Education authorities, it was announced that instruction would be halted for four days and that psychosocial support initiatives had been launched.

Injured Persons

According to official statements, a total of 16 people were injured in the attack. It was stated that 10 of the injured were students, 4 were teachers, 1 was a police officer, and 1 was an employee working in the school cafeteria. Four of the injured were assessed as having moderate injuries and were transferred to hospitals in the provincial center. The treatment of the other injured persons is ongoing at Siverek State Hospital.

Identity of the Attacker

In a statement by Şanlıurfa Governor Hasan Şıldak, it was confirmed that the attacker was born in 2007 and was a former student of the school. It was stated that the attacker had attended only the ninth grade at this school and later enrolled in an open education high school.

Şıldak, who emphasized that the incident was being thoroughly investigated, said, "The perpetrator has no prior criminal record. We are examining the incident comprehensively. Our chief prosecutor’s office is handling the judicial aspect while we are activating our administrative investigation mechanism to clarify the matter as quickly as possible. At this stage, it is not possible to make a definitive statement regarding the motive. According to our risk assessment, our school was not classified as high-risk. Every year at the start of the academic term, meetings chaired by district governors under the directives of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of National Education determine that our school does not fall within the high-risk category and therefore does not have a permanent police presence. Until now, this has not been a school where any obvious incident has occurred. Our school is a successful high school with 743 students. We are treating this as an isolated incident. We are conducting a broad investigation and will inform the public as swiftly as possible."

Witness Statements

Students present at the school during the incident provided accounts of the attack’s immediate developments. One of the injured students described the attack as follows: "Suddenly he entered the classroom and pulled the trigger, pressing it four or five times. Two people were shot, then he went to the adjacent classroom. We first threw ourselves to the floor, then two of us jumped out the window. He did not say anything to us—he just came in and immediately started shooting."

Official Statements and Investigation

Following the incident, Governor Hasan Şıldak visited the injured at Siverek State Hospital. Şıldak, who confirmed that 16 people were injured, said, "Of the 16 injured, four are teachers, ten are students, one is a police officer, and one is a cafeteria worker. Thank God, we have no fatalities. Four of the injured—two teachers and two students—were assessed as having moderate injuries and were transferred to hospitals in the provincial center. Currently, the treatment of the other 12 injured persons is continuing at Siverek State Hospital."

Şıldak emphasized that the incident was being investigated from multiple angles, noting: "The perpetrator is a former student who attended only the ninth grade here. He later enrolled in an open education high school. The individual, born in 2007, ended his life as police moved to apprehend him. We evacuated the school. This incident will be investigated and probed comprehensively, including its background. May peace be upon all of Siverek and Şanlıurfa. Both judicial and administrative processes will be examined. Despite all the precautions we have taken regarding school safety, such isolated incidents can still occur. A thorough investigation will be carried out."

In a statement from the Ministry of National Education (MEB), it was stated that the incident that occurred in the early morning at Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Şanlıurfa Siverek deeply saddened all segments of society. The statement noted that security and health personnel, among other relevant institutions, responded immediately to the incident and initiated a comprehensive investigation. It added: "Two general directors and one directorate head from our ministry immediately traveled to Şanlıurfa to coordinate and supervise the on-site teams. In addition, immediately following the incident, a chief inspector and an inspector from the central administration of the ministry were assigned to assist the Şanlıurfa provincial inspectors in their investigation. Our psychosocial support teams immediately deployed to the scene to assist affected students, teachers, and parents, and rehabilitation activities have begun. Education at the aforementioned institution has been suspended for four days."

The statement emphasized that relevant units are coordinating their efforts with diligence and determination, adding: "The matter will be closely monitored by our ministry in all its aspects, and our General Directorate of Legal Services will actively participate in the judicial process. The health conditions of those injured in the violent attack are being closely monitored. We extend our condolences to all our citizens affected by the incident, especially our educational community, and wish a swift recovery to our injured."

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), in a statement on its social media account, called for strict adherence to the broadcasting principles outlined in Law No. 6112. The statement stressed that images and traumatic content related to the incident must not be shared under any circumstances, adding: "All information and visuals that could violate the privacy of victims, students, and families or reveal their identities must be avoided. Only official statements from authorized institutions should be used as sources, and a sensible tone must be maintained. Legal action will be initiated immediately against any broadcasts that disregard societal sensitivities and children’s mental health."

Bekir Bozdağ, Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and Member of Parliament for Şanlıurfa from the AK Party, stated on his social media account: "I condemn the armed attack carried out at Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in the Siverek district of Şanlıurfa. I pray to our Lord for a swift recovery for our injured teachers, students, and police officer. Both judicial and administrative investigations have been initiated regarding the attack."