Turkish officials confirmed that one person was shot dead when two masked gunmen attacked a Roman Catholic church in Istanbul during a Sunday morning mass.
The shooting happened at the Church of Santa Maria in the Sariyer district at around 11:40 am local time.
Gunmen Kill One Person in Istanbul Church Shooting
Turkish anti riot police officers block the street of Santa Maria church after an attack in Istanbul, on January 28, 2024. Two assailants launched an armed attack on an Italian church in Istanbul during a religious ceremony on January 28, 2024, leaving one person dead, Turkey's interior minister said.
Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X, formerly Twitter, "The two murder suspects have been captured," without providing further details on the motive of the attack.
According to CNN, the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group claimed in a Telegram post that two of its militants had carried out the attack before escaping to safety.
Turkish media released a CCTV that captures the moment of the attack. Worshippers were standing and facing the altar when two gunmen entered the back of the church.
The gunmen appeared to be trailing a man who had just entered. They quietly fled after shooting and killing him.
Sariyer district mayor Sukru Genc told the Birgun daily newspaper that the gunmen fled after firing two shots due to a malfunctioning weapon. Genc also mentioned that Polish Consul General Witold Lesniak and his family attended the mass, but none of them were hurt in the attack.
The 19th-century church lies behind high walls, near a tiny fish market by the Bosphorus on the European side of Istanbul. The police have blocked off the nearby roadways. Investigators interviewed witnesses inside the church who had been there when the attackers struck. Yerlikaya announced that an individual identified only as CT had died in the attack.
Istanbul governor Davut Gul told reporters outside the church that the victim was a Turkish national and that no other people were harmed. He said the attackers only shot one person.
The deceased man's uncle claimed that the victim, who was 52 years old, was going to convert to Christianity but had not yet been baptized. Another relative insisted that he was not the target of the attack and claimed he was mentally ill.
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Turkish Leaders Offer Condolences
Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that they would never allow those who try to disrupt their unity and peace by attacking the places of faith in their city.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also extended condolences over the attack. He said necessary steps were being taken to provide justice to the victim.
The Pope offered his support, expressing his connection to the Santa Maria church community during his weekly prayer in the Vatican.
The mayor said that such attacks on the Christian minority in Turkey are uncommon as Muslims and Christians coexisted peacefully in the area. He added that there was a real sense of shock among the community.
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