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Tarsus, Turkey
A gunman carried out a series of shootings across the southern Turkish city of Tarsus on Monday, killing at least six people and wounding eight others, Turkish officials said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the death toll while speaking after a Cabinet meeting on Monday. The suspect, identified as 37-year-old Metin O. (also reported as Metin Öztürk), remained at large as police launched a large-scale manhunt supported by helicopters and drones.
According to Turkish media reports, the assailant first shot and killed his wife on a street. He then opened fire from his car at a restaurant, killing the owner and an employee. In another neighborhood, he allegedly killed a teenager, a 50-year-old man, and at least one other person.
A wounded restaurant employee told reporters the gunman entered quietly before pulling out a pistol and opening fire. The suspect fled the scene by car.
Authorities have not yet released a clear motive for the attacks, and there is no indication of terrorism involvement. This incident is the latest in a string of shootings in Turkey that have raised public concern about gun violence. The country has tens of millions of firearms in civilian hands, many of them unlicensed.
