- 16-year-old suspect attacks police station in Balcova.
- Teenager has no criminal record, previous arrests: governor.
- Assailant used “long-barrelled gun” in attack, says media.
ISTANBUL: Two policemen were killed and two others wounded in a shooting attack on a police station near the Turkish city of Izmir on Monday, and a 16-year-old suspect was arrested, a minister said.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the “heinous” attack on the police station in Balcova, a district just west of the resort city, left two officers dead and a third “seriously injured”.
“The suspect in the incident, 16-year-old EB, has been arrested and an investigation has been opened,” he wrote on X.
Speaking to Turkish media at the scene, Izmir governor Suleyman Elban said the suspect lived on the same road as the police station and was injured during his arrest.
“The murder suspect is a 16-year-old who lives on this street. He has no criminal record or previous arrests for any crime,” he told the private NTV television, saying the teenager was “apprehended with injuries”.
It was not immediately clear why the station was attacked but footage posted by the Gercek Gundem news website showed mobile phone footage of a person in a balaclava, a black top and pale trousers jogging along the pavement carrying a rifle and then entering a building.
Another clip widely published showed the alleged attacker lying on the pavement being attended by paramedics.
He appeared to be conscious but the back of his trousers were covered with blood and multiple bullet cases were lying the ground.
A third clip showed a group of civilians helping to manhandle the suspect into a police van.
The DHA news agency said the assailant had used “a long-barrelled gun”, while NTV described the weapon as a “pump-action shotgun”.
Police immediately fanned out across the area, imposing tight security measures, media reports said.
Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay denounced a “treacherous” attack and sent his condolences to the families of the dead in a post on X.
