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A convicted murderer who had escaped from an open prison allegedly killed a non-commissioned officer and a lawyer, wounded seven people, including two police officers, and was then shot dead by police after a carjacking and a running gunfight in the coastal district of Edremit, Balikesir.
According to initial reports, the incident started around 11:00 p.m. when emergency dispatchers received a call that a car had been blocked and taken at gunpoint on Erturk Street in Altinkum.
Responding officers found that Specialist Sergeant (Uzman Cavus, a non-commissioned officer) Kemal Ekri, serving with the 19th Motorized Infantry Brigade Command, had been shot dead and his car with plate number 46 AHZ 090 had been seized.
The suspect, identified as Mustafa Emlik, fled in the stolen car and allegedly shot Volkan Ozalp in the neck before speeding away.
When he reached Akcay Junction and tried to turn toward Gure, he opened fire at a car that had stopped for a red light.
Continuing toward Gure, he allegedly shot and wounded Dogan Can and Ramazan Ozbek.
Driving back toward Akcay, he then shot Goktug Calik outside a residence, killing him, and wounded Melih Nergis. He later wounded Rukiye Karakaya on Ulu Onder Ataturk Avenue.
Police units pursued the suspect into central Edremit, where a firefight broke out. Officers Ibrahim Gul and Umit Isik were wounded in the leg and abdomen, respectively, and the suspect was killed at the scene.
In total, seven people were injured, including the two officers, and were taken to nearby hospitals; authorities said their conditions were not life-threatening.
Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said prosecutors had opened an investigation and two public prosecutors were assigned to the case.
He expressed condolences to the victims and wished the injured a swift recovery.
Authorities stated that Mustafa Emlik had been serving a sentence for murder in a closed prison, was later transferred to an open prison, and escaped, remaining at large until the attack.
Specialist Sergeant Kemal Ekri, 29, had reportedly served seven years in Syria, taking part in cross-border operations against terrorist groups.
The eldest of four siblings, he returned with his unit to the Edremit 19th Motorized Infantry Brigade Command on Sept. 30 and attended his brother Salih Ekri’s wedding in Ankara on Oct. 4 before resuming duty. His funeral is to be held at Ankara Etimesgut Elvankoy Martyrs’ Cemetery.
Lawyer Goktug Calik was identified as the second fatality. Separately, Ramazan Ozbek, a market operator in Gure, was among those wounded.
Witness accounts indicated the suspect entered Ozbek’s shop and shot him without provocation; a child who was entering to shop reportedly fled and was unharmed. No items were taken from the store.
Security camera footage reportedly captured the suspect pulling up on Ulu Onder Ataturk Avenue, calling two women over as if to ask for directions, and then opening fire, wounding Rukiye Karakaya.
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