The assailant, Yusuf Gezer, upon having an argument with children playing in the street, started shooting at random people passing by his second-floor apartment. The man shot and injured one bystander in the foot and injured another bystander in the shoulder blade. Neighbors who witnessed the outburst then informed police of the situation.
Gezer then made his way to the roof of the apartment. The police officers, İsmail Gündüz and Coşkun Akşit, who arrived on the scene, were shot at by the assailant. Gündüz died at the scene, while Akşit was injured and taken to Antakya State Hospital, where later he also died.
After shooting at police officers, Gezer then went inside his apartment, turned his rifle on himself and committed suicide. Hatay Governor Mehmet Celalettin Lekesiz said, “Two police officers have died for no reason.”
Neighbors stated that Gezer moved into his apartment one-and-a-half months ago and that ever since then he had always had trouble with neighbors and particularly with children playing in the street. He is also reported to have threatened those with whom he had disputes with a knife.
The police officers were to be buried today. Gündüz will be buried in his hometown of Eşkişehir and Akşit in his hometown of Diyarbakır.
An investigation into the incident by police is under way.
