According to media reports, the gunman who killed 39 people during the New Year’s celebrations in Istanbul has been captured alive by the Turkish Police during a covert police operation.
The news was broken by local media early morning on January 17 when they claimed that the suspect was captured in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district after the special police force raided a house in the area.
The man has been identified as Abdulkadir Masharipov who is an Uzbekistan national.
He currently has been taken for medical checks before being taken to the police headquarters for further questioning.
Suspect Abdulkadir Masharipov. AP
The suspect was reportedly staying in a house that belongs to his friend from Kyrgyzstan, who has also been detained.
The suspect had gunned down 39 people on January 1 at an elite Turkish nightclub. The Islamic State group had later claimed responsibility for the massacre and said that it was in reprisal for the Turkish military operations in northern Syria.
Istanbul Attacker captured in a surveillance footage. CNN
The gunman had initially resisted arrest during the police raid but was later captured by the special forces along with his Kyrgyz friend and three other people, who were also detained.
There was also a 4-year-old child in the house, who has been identified as his son. He at present has been taken into protective custody.
Reports also claim that his wife and 1-year old daughter were also detained in a police operation few days back and are currently in custody.
