Funeral ceremonies have been held for four of the victims killed in a deadly school shooting in Kahramanmaraş, as Türkiye grapples with a series of unprecedented attacks targeting educational institutions.
Belinay Nur Boyraz, Kerem Erdem Güngör, Zeynep Kılıç and Bayram Nabi Şişik, all aged 11, were laid to rest following a ceremony attended by family members, senior officials and local residents.
The victims were killed in a gun attack at Ayser Çalık Middle School on Wednesday. Their bodies were transferred from the Kahramanmaraş Forensic Medicine Institute to Abdülhamid Han Mosque, where funeral prayers were held before their burial at Şeyh Adil Cemetery.
Scenes of grief marked the ceremony, as family members wept and embraced the coffins of their children.
Among those attending were Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, senior ruling party officials and opposition lawmakers, alongside a large number of citizens.
In response to the attack, the Turkish Parliament is set to establish a special commission to investigate school violence and propose measures to prevent similar incidents.
The decision followed urgent calls in Parliament to prioritize the issue after the Kahramanmaraş shooting, in which 10 people were killed and at least 20 others injured when a 13-year-old student opened fire.
The incident came just one day after a separate school shooting in Şanlıurfa province, where 16 people were wounded before the attacker took his own life.
Following cross-party consultations, lawmakers agreed on a coordinated effort to examine the root causes of such violence, including legal, psychological and social dimensions, as well as the influence of families and digital environments.
Officials said the commission will conduct a comprehensive review and develop recommendations to strengthen school safety nationwide.
Although Türkiye enforces strict gun control laws, including licensing and background checks, school shootings have historically been rare. A notable previous case occurred in May 2024, when a former student killed a school principal in Istanbul months after being expelled.
The father of the suspected shooter, identified as Isa Aras Mersinli, has provided testimony detailing his son’s background and the events leading up to the attack.
According to his statement, the weapons used in the incident belonged to him and were kept locked in a storage chest at home. He said his son had learned how to access the container.
The father, a police chief inspector, stated that he owned several licensed firearms and that his son had recently developed an interest in weapons. He also confirmed that he had taken his son to a shooting range earlier in the week, where the child fired a gun under supervision.
He described his son as highly proficient in English and active online, noting that he used VPN services and frequently played war-themed video games. However, the family said they were unable to fully monitor his online activity, as he did not share passwords to his devices.
The father also revealed that his son had been experiencing stress related to adolescence and exams and had been taken to psychologists. While initial assessments did not indicate serious concerns, a private specialist later suggested the child might face social adjustment issues and could require further monitoring or psychiatric support.
On the day of the attack, the father said his son refused to go to school and stayed home. Believing the situation to be routine, the family did not intervene further. The father later left the house, only to learn of the incident after hearing sirens and contacting a journalist.
He initially believed his son was among the victims and only later discovered the full extent of the tragedy, including his son's involvement and death.
Authorities have also taken action against social media activity related to the attacks.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that numerous accounts spreading panic, sharing prohibited footage or promoting violence had been identified.
Investigations have been launched into 130 account holders by multiple prosecutors’ offices, with 95 individuals detained and efforts ongoing to apprehend others. Access to over 1,100 social media accounts has been restricted.
In a separate operation, 67 users were detained for posts allegedly identifying and targeting 54 schools, causing public alarm.
Authorities said legal proceedings are ongoing and emphasized that efforts to counter misinformation and prevent incitement would continue nationwide, in coordination with law enforcement and education authorities.
