Fatal stabbing incident at Istanbul school

On the morning of October 6, 2026, a violent attack occurred at the Şeyh Şamil İmam Hatip Middle School in the Başakşehir district of Istanbul. A 15-year-old girl, who was a student at a different high school, entered the premises wearing a stolen uniform and assaulted students with a knife around 08:40. While initial reports from the Istanbul Governor's Office mentioned five injuries, subsequent updates from the Turkish Minister of Education, Yusuf Tekin, confirmed that eight students aged between 10 and 13 were injured in the attack, one of whom later died from their wounds in the hospital.

The perpetrator was apprehended by school security and police at the scene. Authorities have initiated both judicial and administrative investigations into the circumstances of the attack, with reports suggesting the suspect may suffer from mental health issues. The Ministry of Education has deployed a specialized team and two inspectors to oversee the investigation, while providing psychological support to the affected school community.

Separately, on October 7, 2026, another stabbing occurred at a high school in the Esenyurt district, where a 16-year-old student injured three peers. These incidents have sparked significant concern regarding school safety in Turkey, especially following a similar shooting event involving 11 injured students in Manisa two weeks prior.