Watchman injures civilian with 'warning shot' during ID check in southern Turkey
An individual was wounded by a "warning shot" from a watchman in the Mediterranean province of Antalya as the watchmen intervened in a brawl in a shop and was conducting identity checks on the scene. The watchman allegedly shot the individual as he was fleeing because he had a fake ID.
Duvar English
A watchman fired a "warning shot" at an individual named A.C. in the Mediterranean province of Antalya, leaving him wounded. The watchman allegedly shot the individual because his identity card was fake and was fleeing.
The watchmen (bekçi), pseudo-police officers appointed by the government, intervened in a brawl that took place in a shop in the residential Konyaaltı district of Antalya on the night of Feb. 26.
A.C. reportedly didn't let the watchmen approach him as he was carrying a knife during identity checks on the scene.
The watchman reportedly told A.C. to stop as he fled the scene and fired a "warning shot", wounding A.C.
The watchman was taken to the police station to give an official statement while A.C. was taken to the hospital.
The authority of the watchmen has been a topic of debate as their number has grown since the creation of the force in the wake of the failed coup attempt of 2016.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) wishes to legally allow the pseudo-police force to search and detain people, report in the event of a crime and preserve evidence at a crime scene.