Turkey: Tenager arrested over killing of two police officers in gun attack

A 16-year-old teenager was arrested on Monday over the killing of two police officers in a shotgun attack on a police station in western Turkey, the country’s interior minister said. 

The assault took place in the Balcova district of Izmir, Turkey’s third largest city. Local authorities said two other police officers and a civilian were wounded in the attack, with one of the officers sustaining serious injuries.

The assailant first shot and killed a police officer who was standing guard in front of the station. The second victim was a police chief inspector who was killed in an ensuing clash, Izmir province Governor Suleyman Elban said.

“The perpetrator of the incident, a 16-year-old man, has been apprehended. His connections are being investigated. I offer my condolences to our entire police force," Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a speech on Monday.

Local officials said the suspect lived on the same street as the police station and was injured during his arrest. 

Footage shared by Turkish broadcasters showed the assailant wearing a black balaclava and holding a rifle.

A video showed the wounded attacker shouting “God is Great” while lying on the pavement as police tried to subdue him.

Bystanders can be heard yelling “Take his weapon!” and “Call an ambulance!” Moments later, the suspect reaches into a rucksack and throws an object, prompting panicked shouts of “Bomb!” and “Shoot him, brother, shoot him!” from the crowd.

The suspect's motives are under investigation, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in an X post, describing the attack as "heinous."