Armed Attack at Istanbul Ümraniye Mall: 2 Injured and Wanted Attacker

A shopping mall in the Ümraniye district of Istanbul was the scene of a horrific armed attack. The incident unfolded as a targeted attack on a cafe located within the AVM. With the sound of gunfire causing chaos, citizens present for shopping experienced great panic and turmoil. As a result of the intensity of the attack, two different individuals were shot and injured, and after initial interventions at the scene, they were immediately dispatched to the hospital. In the initial stage, no clear information could be reached from health units regarding whether the injured have life-threatening conditions.

Health teams arriving at the scene made urgent interventions to stabilize the conditions of the injured and carried out hospital transfers. Police and Special Operations teams secured the AVM and took wide security precautions in the vicinity against the possibility of a second attack. The citizens trying to throw themselves out in panic and the control of the crowd were achieved as a result of the intense efforts of the teams. Security forces started examining the camera records of the cafe and its surroundings where the incident took place. Statements from eyewitnesss will shed light on the designated points of the operation until the identity of the perpetrator is determined.

The Homicide and Public Order Bureaus within the Ümraniye Police Department deepened the investigation by establishing a special team to catch the attacker. It is known that the attacker fled the scene and lost his tracks, while police teams started search and scan activities by closing all exit points and pavement tops in the area. Drone-supported search operations were also carried out against the possibility that the suspect may be hiding in the AVM's parking lot or surrounding streets. It was stated that the operation to catch the attacker was expanded in a coordinated manner by civil and official police teams.

In their first statements on the subject, the Istanbul Police Chief and relevant officials emphasized that all means were mobilized to catch the attacker. Although the possibility of the incident being a terrorist act is found to be low for now, it was stated that the investigation is being conducted in a multi-faceted manner by evaluating all possibilities. In order to ensure the safety of citizens inside the AVM, it was decided to close the shopping mall to entry and exit for a certain period. It was conveyed that the security forces would increase their deterrent presence to overcome the sense of insecurity created by such events in the society.

Within the scope of the investigation initiated to catch the attacker, the records of vehicles with foreign plates and MOBESE cameras in the area are being scrutinized. It is evaluated that the suspect escaped using the crowd immediately after the incident, and search work continues by creating a description based on the statements of witnesses. The police asked citizens to inform security units if they see any suspicious situation. It is expected that an official statement will be made to the public in case of a new development in the coming hours or if the attacker is caught.