Turkey shooting: 5 dead and 7 injured after gunman opens fire in Tarsus restaurant | World | News

At least five people died and eight others are feared injured when a suspected gunman opened fire inside a restaurant. Police launched a manhunt following a shooting attack in Türkiye on Monday, May 18.

It was reported that the suspect fled the scene by car after opening fire at the restaurant in Tarsus district of Mersin. Police teams are also searching for the suspect with helicopters deployed in the manhunt. According to local people’s reports CNNTürk, The suspect killed his ex-wife before opening fire on the restaurant. His identity and motives were not immediately clear.

Emergency services teams arrived at the scene and created a security cordon around the scene. Meanwhile, at least five people are believed to have died and eight others were hospitalized with injuries.

According to reports from local residents, the restaurant’s owner and an employee were among the dead. A shepherd and a truck driver who were grazing their sheep were also killed.

A massive manhunt was launched as authorities tried to track down the attacker. Police have initiated helicopter and drone support, while authorities in the region are monitoring local highways while searching for the attacker.

The latest shooting in Türkiye comes just over a month after a student shot and killed nine people, including his friends, at school. 13 more people were injured in the armed attack that took place in the south-east of the country.

A few days ago, a former student killed himself in a shootout with the police after injuring 16 people in a gun attack at a high school in Şanlıurfa. Likewise, in May 2024, a former student killed the principal of a private high school in Istanbul with a firearm, five months after he was expelled.

Turkish gun laws require licensing, registration and stringent background checks. They also provide harsh penalties for illegal possession of firearms.

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