Mersin, Turkey — May 18, 2026
A teenage gunman shot dead four people and wounded eight others in a restaurant attack in southern Turkey on Tuesday, sparking a large-scale police manhunt.
Attack Details
The assailant opened fire in a restaurant in the town of Tarsus, located in Turkey’s Mersin province, killing the owner and an employee. Several guests were injured in the attack, according to reports from news agencies DHA and IHA. The attacker then shot two more people outside the restaurant before fleeing the scene in a car.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed the casualty toll in a televised address, stating, *"der türkische Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan sagte heute Abend in einer Fernsehansprache, dass bei dem Angriff in der Provinz Mersin acht weitere Menschen verletzt worden seien."* Authorities have not yet disclosed the attacker’s motive.