16.04.2026 00:45
The identities of 1 teacher and 8 students, who lost their lives in the armed attack that took place at Ayser Çalık Middle School in Kahramanmaraş and whose autopsy procedures are ongoing at the Kahramanmaraş Forensic Medicine Institute morgue, have been determined.
Following Şanlıurfa, another armed attack that occurred at a school in Kahramanmaraş deeply shook all of Turkey.
IDENTITIES OF THE DECEASED DETERMINED The identities of the 9 people who lost their lives in the armed attack carried out by 14-year-old İsa Aras Mersinli at Ayser Çalık Middle School and whose autopsy procedures are continuing at the Kahramanmaraş Forensic Medicine Institute morgue have been determined.
The names of the 1 educator and 8 students who lost their lives in the attack are as follows: "Teacher Ayla Kara (56), students Mustafa Aslan, Şuranur Sevgi Kazıcı, Zeynep Kılınç, Furkan Sancak Balal (11), Bayram Nabi Şişik (10), Belinay Nur Poyraz (10), Adnan Göktürk Yeşil (11), and Kerem Erdem Güngör."
Teacher Ayla Kara TREATMENT OF THE INJURED CONTINUES On the other hand, it was reported that 11 people injured in the attack were discharged after their treatment, and the treatment of 9 others continues in 5 different hospitals. It was learned that 6 of the injured are in critical condition.
TWO-DAY BREAK IN EDUCATION IN THE CITY Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi stated that the incident is being investigated in multiple aspects. Çiftçi said that education has been suspended for two days in Kahramanmaraş. Minister Çiftçi continued his words as follows: "I pray to Allah for mercy for all our students and teacher who lost their lives in this heinous attack. I offer my condolences to their relatives, I offer my condolences to our noble nation.
"THE INCIDENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL EVENT CARRIED OUT BY A STUDENT" I also pray to the Almighty for a speedy recovery for all our injured who are currently being treated in our hospitals. As soon as we heard about the incident, upon receiving the news, we immediately went to the scene with our Minister of National Education, our Minister of Health, and our Minister of Justice. Our Minister of Family is also on the way, she will arrive soon. Our esteemed deputies are here.
We have informed our esteemed President about the process and the incident from the beginning, moment by moment. I want to state once again; the incident is solely an individual event carried out by one of our students; it is not a terrorist incident. Therefore, I want to express once again that we are extremely saddened that such an incident occurred yesterday in Şanlıurfa and today in Maraş."
ATTACKED 2 CLASSROOMS WITH 5TH GRADERS Kahramanmaraş Governor Mükerrem Ünlüer, describing the details of the incident, used the following statements: "He came to the school with weapons, which we believe belong to his father, in his backpack, and by randomly, without targeting, specifically entering 2 classrooms where 5th-grade students were, and firing, he caused injuries and deaths.
"HE CAME TO SCHOOL WITH 5 GUNS AND 7 MAGAZINES" The attacker killed himself by shooting during the chaos. He is an 8th-grade student, his father is a former police officer. We think he took his father's weapons. He came to school with 5 guns and 7 magazines."
Attacker İsa Aras Mersinli ATTACKER'S FATHER AND MOTHER IN CUSTODY On the other hand, as part of the investigation, the attacker's father, 1st Class Police Chief Inspector Uğur Mersinli, and his mother, teacher Peyman Pınar Mersinli, have been taken into custody.
INVESTIGATION INITIATED Minister of Justice Gürlek, in a statement made after the attack, said: "Regarding the armed attack that occurred at a school in Kahramanmaraş, an investigation has been immediately initiated by the Kahramanmaraş Republic Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; 3 Republic Deputy Chief Public Prosecutors and 4 Republic Prosecutors have been assigned. Our Chief Public Prosecutor and the assigned Republic Prosecutors continue their investigations at the scene. A publication ban decision has been taken for the integrity of the investigation, and it is important that our press institutions strictly comply with the confidentiality of the investigation. Necessary information regarding all stages of the investigation will be provided by the authorized authorities."
8 INSPECTORS ASSIGNED In a statement made from the Ministry of Interior's social media account, it was stated that regarding the armed attack, 4 chief civil inspectors and 4 chief police inspectors have been assigned by Minister Çiftçi to investigate all aspects of the incident. In the statement, which reported that Çiftçi urgently moved to the scene, the following was noted: "Our Republic Prosecutors assigned under the coordination of our Republic Chief Public Prosecutor's Office continue their investigations at the scene. A publication ban decision has been taken for the integrity and healthy conduct of the investigation. In this context, it is of great importance that our press and broadcasting institutions strictly comply with the confidentiality of the investigation. We pray to Allah for mercy for our citizens who lost their lives, offer condolences to their grieving families, and wish a speedy recovery to our injured citizens. Necessary information regarding all stages of the investigation will be provided by the authorized authorities."
EXHIBITED STRANGE BEHAVIORS DURING CLASS Footage of İsa Aras Mersinli, who killed 9 people (eight students and one teacher) and injured 20 in an armed attack at a middle school in Kahramanmaraş and then committed suicide, taken some time before the incident, has surfaced. In a video recorded by his classmates during a class, Mersinli is seen wandering aimlessly in the classroom and exhibiting strange attitudes that disturb those around him. In the mentioned footage, the suspect's unbalanced movements drew attention. The investigation initiated regarding the incident continues.
HAD THREATENED CLASSMATES BEFORE After the incident, a student studying at the school where the attack took place described what happened: "We were sitting at home with friends.Suddenly, sounds came. There were those jumping out of the window, those trying to escape. There were many students, we saw blood. We got scared, we moved away first. Then we came back and tried to find out what happened. The police came," he described.
The student, who also claimed that the attacker had previously made threats towards his friends, said, "He told our friend, 'I will kill you.' We heard this from our friend. Because he was in that class. After hearing the gunshots, we experienced great panic."