Four killed in Turkey’s southeast

HAKKARİ

Four people were killed and two others were wounded when fire was opened from an armored police vehicle in the Yüksekova district of Hakkari on Oct. 8, according to a statement released by Hakkari Governor’s Office. The police officers who were in the vehicle during the incident said in their testimony that “they never touched the trigger of the weapon in the vehicle and the mechanism was activated by itself.” 

Gunshots were heard in the district around 10:50 a.m. and security forces were dispatched to the scene. Ambulances were called to the area and seven people were taken to Yüksekova State Hospital, where police took strict security measures. 

Four of the people receiving treatment succumbed to their wounds, who were Rahmi Safhalış, Necdet İşözü, Serhat Buldan and Aydın Tümen. The treatment of Şemsettin Çakmakçı and Mehmet Ali Kaya were ongoing. 

Police have cordoned off the area and several people were detained over the incident. 

A lawmaker from the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has said that her niece was killed. Pervin Buldan, HDP lawmaker from Istanbul, said that Serhat Buldan among the ones killed in the incident. 

One of the police officers involved in the incident, identified only as İ.M., was detained and a probe was launched into the case, the governor’s office said.