One dead in fight over election campaign pamphlet in southern Turkey

Duvar English

A shop owner in Turkey’s southern Antalya province shot and killed a 21-year-old during an altercation with the volunteers for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) while distributing campaign pamphlets for the upcoming local elections. 

CHP members were touring the Muratpaşa district and campaigning for the party’s candidates with one week remaining to the 31 March local elections. 

At noon, the team entered a deli to hand out the campaign pamphlets. Shopowner Sinan Elbir scolded the volunteers and said he did not want any material from the CHP. 

The altercation grew as volunteer Ahmet Boz responded to the shopowner.  

Boz’s nephews Haktan Faik and Burak Devran Çoban were walking by the shop during the fight and joined. 

Shopowner Elbis shot his gun once, which hit 21-year-old Haktan Faik in the abdomen. 

21-year-old Haktan Faik died in the hospital, while his brother Burak Devran was injured, according to the March 24 reporting by the Demirören News Agency (DHA). 

Police arrested Elbir for voluntary manslaughter, and uncle Boz for injuring Elbir during the fight.   

Security camera footage revealed that an individual shot at the empty shop with a rifle at 2 a.m. after the incident. The police are investigating to identify the individual. 

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