Turkish authorities detained at least 17 people in several provinces and jailed multiple suspects over online threats of school attacks and posts praising violence after Turkey’s first fatal school shooting left 10 people dead in southern Kahramanmaraş province.
The reported cases included seven students detained in the northern province of Samsun, two people detained in the western province of Denizli and separate detentions or arrests in İstanbul, Sivas, Zonguldak, Çanakkale, Kırşehir, Tokat, Bolu and Antalya.
The Samsun Governor’s Office said cybercrime police opened an investigation after posts circulated online claiming schools in the province could be targeted, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency. Six of the detained students were under 18 and were taken into custody by juvenile police, while a seventh, who was over 18, was detained in the Atakum district. All seven were referred to court after police questioning.
In İstanbul a high school student was detained following reports that he had shared a bomb photo on Telegram and posted messages saying he would carry out a bombing tied to the Kahramanmaraş attack. Turkish media reported that police found a tactical vest, camouflage clothing, a helmet, a knife and pepper spray during a search of the student’s home. The student was later jailed pending trial.
In Denizli, two people were detained over posts about possible similar attacks in the city. The governor’s office said one was detained on suspicion of threatening to create fear and panic among the public and the other on suspicion of praising crime and criminals. In Sivas, a 17-year-old, 10th-grade student was detained and later jailed over a post suggesting schools in the province could be attacked.
Other cases were reported across the country. A 17-year-old high school student was detained in Zonguldak after allegedly posting messages in a class WhatsApp group saying he would attack his school; police reportedly found six blank cartridges at his home. A 14-year-old student was detained in Çanakkale’s Ezine district after allegedly posting a threat on social media. Three people were detained in Kırşehir, one student was jailed in Tokat, one student was detained in Bolu over an alleged voice recording about shooting a school principal and classmates, and two students were detained in Antalya over messages saying they would bring guns to their school.
The specific cases came as police announced a broader nationwide crackdown on posts linked to school attacks in Şanlıurfa and Kahramanmaraş. The police said 411 people had been detained, 307 account administrators had been identified over posts described as misleading, threatening or inciting, 1,866 internet addresses had been blocked and 111 Telegram channels linked to a group called “C31K” had been shut down.
