A student who was seriously injured in a knife attack at a middle school in Istanbul’s Başakşehir district on Monday has died, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin announced.
“One of our students lost their life in the incident in Başakşehir,” Tekin said, confirming the student’s death.
Eight students were injured in the attack at Kayaşehir Sheikh Shamil Imam Hatip Middle School, with one initially reported to be in critical condition and two others in serious condition.
According to initial reports, F.M., a female student born in 2011 who attends a high school in Istanbul’s Küçükçekmece district, came to the middle school in the Kayabaşı neighborhood where she lives and attacked students in the schoolyard with a knife.
The attacker, who lives in the same neighborhood near the school, entered the school wearing a school uniform and stabbed students indiscriminately, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül said.
School security personnel apprehended the attacker and handed her over to police. She was subsequently detained.
Police and medical teams were dispatched to the school following reports of the attack. The injured students were taken by ambulance to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Istanbul Governor Gül and Istanbul Police Chief Selami Yıldız visited the injured students receiving treatment at Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital following the attack and received information about their condition.
Speaking to reporters after the visit, Gül said five of the injured students had minor injuries and were expected to complete their treatment during the day. He said two other students were continuing to receive treatment and showing signs of improvement.
