Crowds gathered in southern Turkey on Thursday, April 16th to pay their respects to the victims of a deadly school shooting that has shocked the nation and left communities in deep grief.
Funerals were held in the province of Kahramanmaraş for eight children and a teacher—all killed when a 14-year-old opened fire at a school. Coffins draped in the Turkish flag were surrounded by grieving families and local residents, while flowers were laid outside the school in memory of the victims.
“We have a tremendous pain,” one mourner said, describing the victims as kind and hardworking children. Witnesses recalled scenes of panic, with injured students fleeing the building.
Authorities said the attack was one of two school-related shootings this week. In a separate incident in Sanliurfa, a former student opened fire at his old school, injuring 16 people. Officials confirmed that the suspects in both cases are dead.
The tragedy has sparked anger as well as mourning. Around 3,500 teachers gathered in the capital, Ankara, calling for accountability and demanding the education minister resign.
At the same time, authorities have launched a wide-ranging crackdown online. Justice minister Akın Gürlek asserted that more than 160 people had been detained for spreading misinformation or praising the attacks on social media. Access to over 1,100 online accounts has been blocked, with dozens accused of posting threats targeting schools.
