On Monday, a gunman killed six individuals and wounded eight others in southern Turkey, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The incident occurred near Mersin city, with the suspect being sought by authorities as a 37-year-old man who reportedly shot his ex-wife before embarking on a murderous spree.
The Anadolu state news agency and Sabah daily reported that the gunman opened fire in a restaurant, killing its owner and an employee. He then fled to shoot two more men – one of them a shepherd near the restaurant, and another a truck driver. The shooting took place about 40 kilometers northeast of Mersin, prompting a widespread police manhunt involving helicopters.
This violence occurred just a month after two separate shooting attacks in Turkey left 16 injured and 10 dead, mostly young schoolchildren. A Turkish NGO has stated that there are tens of millions of firearms held by citizens, most without permits.