One student killed, eight wounded in Istanbul school stabbing attack
A 15-year-old girl disguised as a pupil stabbed eight students at a secondary school in Istanbul's Başakşehir district, and one later died of injuries.
A stabbing attack at a secondary school in Istanbul's Başakşehir district left eight students wounded on Tuesday morning, Turkish officials said. Education Minister Yusuf Tekin said the attacker, a 15-year-old girl, had disguised herself in the uniform of the school she targeted, Şeyh Şamil Imam Hatip Secondary School, before carrying out the assault.
According to the district governor, the attack occurred at around 8:35 am local time (7:35 am CEST). The suspect was apprehended and identified as a 10th-grade student enrolled at a different school.
Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu said eight students were injured, with one in critical condition and two others in moderate-to-serious condition. He said treatment was continuing at hospitals and that the victims' health was being closely monitored. Tekin later confirmed that one of the wounded students had died.
Classes suspended, reporting restricted
Classes at the school were suspended for both Tuesday and Wednesday. Istanbul's 3rd Criminal Court of Peace imposed a broadcasting ban on coverage of the incident. Turkey's media regulator RTÜK said the ban was needed to protect the ongoing investigation and to ensure suspects could be arrested.
Imam hatip schools are state-funded religious secondary schools originally created to train imams and prayer leaders. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's government, these schools now educate a significant proportion of Turkish secondary students, a growth that critics say has come at the expense of secular education. Authorities have not indicated any political or ideological motive behind the attack at this time.
