Türkiye: One dead in shooting during mass at a Catholic church in Istanbul

One person died in a shooting at a Catholic church in Istanbul during Sunday mass, the authorities Türkiye.

The attack occurred at around 11:40 am (9:40 am GMT) in Church of Santa Maria in the neighborhood SariyerDuring the mass, the Turkish Interior Minister reported: Ali Yerlikayain your X account.

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“Two masked people opened fire on CTwho was among the people attending mass and unfortunately lost his life“, detailed the minister, without giving further details about the identity of the deceased.

“An extensive investigation was launched to arrest the attackers. We strongly condemn this cowardly attack”Yerlikaya added.

According to Turkish digital outlet T24, the attackers entered the church during mass, with their faces covered by ski masks, and opened fire on the participants, causing one person to die from a gunshot to the head before fleeing.

He adds that there were also injuries, a point not confirmed by the authorities.

The governor of Istanbul, Davut Gülconfirmed to the press that the victim is not the church priest, although he did not specify the identity of the deceased.

“We spoke to the main priest to express our condolences. There’s not much to add. Two masked people enter the church, shoot one person and he dies”, summarized Gül, according to the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet.

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Numerous senior Turkish officials condemned the attack, presenting it as a homicide.

“We strongly condemn the armed attack against one of our citizens during mass at St. Mary’s Church in Istanbul“, he wrote on the X network Omer Celikspokesman for the ruling Islamic party AKP Türkiye since 2002.

Church of Saint Mary, located near the Bosphorus, in the Sariyer neighborhood, in the northern part of Istanbulwas built in 1866 and is also known as “Sariyer Italian Church”.

Source: Elcomercio

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