Shocking image emerges of gunman in Russian ambassador art gallery shooting

The Russian ambassador to Turkey has been killed by a Turkish policeman at an art gallery in Ankara. As 62 year old Andrey Karlov shoot to give a speech, he was shot dead at close range.

The gunman, who has been named locally as Mevlut Mert Altintas, was heard to shout “Allahu Akbar,” or God is Great, as he carried out the shooting. Altintas, 22, who is a policeman serving with the Ankara police special forces department said he was carrying out the shooting as a result of unrest in Aleppo. He added: “We die in Aleppo, you die here,” as he opened fire in the usually peaceful art gallery. The gunman, who was smartly dressed in a suit to blend in with the crowd, has been photographed standing over the body while waving his arm in the air.

Meanwhile, the US Security Department was reporting some sort of “ongoing security incident” outside the US Embassy in Ankara.

Protests

The shooting followed a number of protests in Turkey held as a result of Russia’s role in Syria. Turkey’s Anadolu Agency reported that the shooter had been “neutralised,” while further images emerged which seems to show him dead on the floor, covered in blood.

Mr Karlov was about to give a talk to open the Russia in the eyes of the Turks art exhibition. According to witnesses, a number of shots were fired. Currently, Russian and Turkish officials are working together to try to ensure the evacuation of citizens from troubled Aleppo. However, Russia’s involvement in the bombing of Aleppo as well as number of civilian casualties have angered many Turkish nationals and Syrian refugees.

The shooting took place in the Canyaka area of Ankara where most of the foreign embassies in Turkey are located, including that of Russia. America has already moved to condemn the attack on the Russian ambassador.