Turkish police detain 162 people over online praise for school shootings

At least 16 people were injured in a shooting at a high school on Tuesday, before another nine were killed in a separate school shooting on Wednesday. Turkish police detain 162 people over online praise for school shootings Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. At least nine people have died following a shooting at a school in southern Turkey About two dozen men stand outside a school building, which has a sign reading 'Ayser Calik Ortaokulu', wearing a mix of plain civilian clothes and police uniforms. Turkish police have arrested 162 people accused of posting controversial content online about two deadly school shootings which took place this week. They were "found to have engaged in posts and activities praising crime and criminals and negatively affecting public order", police said. At least 16 people were injured in a shooting at a high school in the country's southeast on Tuesday, before another nine were killed in a shooting at another school in the city of Kahramanmaras on Wednesday. Hundreds have gathered near the city's main mosque for the funerals of the young victims, which are being held on Thursday. One victim has been identified as 10-year-old Zeynep. Her uncle, Mahmut, told the BBC that she was a clever girl who respected others. He said: "Now she is an angel, she flew away." Another bereaved relative at the funerals told the BBC he wanted more protection in schools following the attack. The aunt of another victim, Shura, told the BBC she had learned that her 10-year-old niece had been killed when her name was read out on the news. Three Turkish government ministers are also expected to attend the funerals, the BBC understands. The family of Zeynep, a 10-year-old victim, stand over her coffin at her funeral on Thursday A solemn-looking crowd gathers around a coffin, which has the Turkish flag draped over it, while three women wearing head coverings rest their heads on the coffin. The shooting in Kahramanmaras saw at least eight students and one teacher killed, Turkish officials said, with 13 others wounded, including six in critical condition. A 14-year-old attacker was also killed during the incident, which took place at Ayser Calik Secondary School. The suspect had planned for the attack in advance, the local prosecutor's office said in a statement It said: "During the examination of digital materials, a document dated April 11, 2026, was found on the suspect's computer indicating that he intended to carry out a major operation in the near future." The suspect had referenced US mass killer Elliot Rodger in a photo on his WhatsApp profile, according to police. Rodger, a 22-year-old American, murdered six people before taking his own life in California in 2014. Turkish media reported that the attacker, believed to be a student, entered two classrooms and had five guns and seven magazines with him. A map of Turkey showing the locations of the two school shootings: 14 April: Ahmet Koyuncu High School (in southeastern Turkey) 15 April: Ayser Calik Secondary School (in southern Turkey) It also marks major geographic references like Ankara, the Black Sea, and neighbouring countries including Syria, Iraq, and Georgia. Tuesday's attack, which saw 16 injured, took place at the Ahmet Koyuncu Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Siverek district. The attacker, who was an ex-student in his late teens, fired "indiscriminately with a shotgun" before killing himself with the weapon, local governor Hasan Şildak said. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said that 95 individuals had been arrested following government concerns over online behaviour after the attacks. They have been accused of sharing footage relating to the attack despite the broadcast ban, sharing content that could create fear, praising crime and encouraging offences, and circulating misinformation. Restrictions have also been imposed on 1,104 social media accounts, Gürlek said. Another 67 people have been taken into custody after being accused of sharing posts indicating that attacks would be carried out at other schools. An ambulance leaves the scene following a deadly school shooting, in the southeastern province of Kahramanmaras Nine killed in second Turkish school shooting in two days An armoured police vehicle, an ambulance and a vehicle for transporting bodies are parked at the entrance of a school Sixteen injured after ex-student opens fire at high school in Turkey Eight students and one teacher died in the attack, according to Interior Minister Mustafa Cifci. Péter Magyar, the man who ended Viktor Orbán's 16 years of continuous rule, wants the new parliament to convene in early May. Christian Rainer told the BBC he found his grandfather within seconds using the online tool, which also helped clear other members of his family. Students and teachers are among those who were injured in the attack in the country's south-east. No Israeli diplomats are currently in Turkey and the Istanbul consulate has been empty for the past two-and-a-half years. 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