Who was Melvut Mert Altintas? Policeman who shot dead Andrei Karlov, Russia’s ambassador to Turkey – here’s what we know
A GUNMAN shot dead Russia's ambassador to Turkey as he gave a speech during an opening of an art exhibition in the Turkish capital.
Off-duty cop Mevlut Mert Altinas shot Andrei Karlov at least eight times before shouting in Turkish and Arabic - he was killed after a shootout with police.
Who was Mevlut Mert Altinas?
He was a 22-year-old member of Ankara's riot police.
Altinas was originally from the town of Soke in western Turkey, near the Aegean Sea coastline.
He had been an active serving police officer since 2014 after graduating from Izmir Police School.
It has not been verified but it was reported he managed to gain entry to the art gallery using his police ID.
He is said to have told security "I am protecting the Russian ambassador".
After he shot the Russian at least eight times, he shouted in Turkish and Arabic.
He chanted: "Do not forget Aleppo! Do not forget Syria!"
He added "Allahu akbar" and "we are the descendants of those who supported the Prophet Muhammad, for jihad".
Witnesses said he allowed people in the room to leave as he was not trying to hurt them, and declared he was "ready to die".
Who did he kill?
Andrei Karlov was a Russian diplomat who took up the role of Ambassador to Turkey on July 12, 2013.
He was speaking at the opening of an art exhibition which discussed how Turkish people see Russia.
As a career diplomat, he graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry in 1992.
Previously he had served as Russia’s Ambassador to North Korea between 2001 and 2006, and was fluent in Korean.
The Russian foreign ministry confirmed the death of Mr Karlov, calling it a “terrorist act” after he was shot while making a speech at the The Modern Art Centre in Ankara.
What was the motivation behind his attack?
After Altinas killed Karlov he chanted for people not to forget Aleppo and Syria - referencing the Russian President Vladimir Putin's military campaign in the country.
Relations between Moscow and Ankara have long been strained over the conflict in Syria, with the two nations supporting opposing sides in the war.
Russia is an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its air strikes helped Syrian forces end rebel resistance last week in the northern city of Aleppo.
After the shooting there were reports police had held Altintas’s parents, sister and roommate in his hometown.
Altintas, who graduated from police school in 2014, had no known terror links, though it was claimed he may have had dealings with the Al-Nusra Front, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda.
No group claimed responsibility. Turkish authorities, known for their hardline stance on the Press, imposed a temporary news blackout.
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