16-year-old child found dead in a shooting range of the police in Urfa

* Photo: Mezopotamya Agency (MA)

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The Governor's Office of Urfa has released a written statement about the death of 16-year-old Muharrem Aksem, who was found dead in the Micit (Çalışkan) Neighborhood in Eyyübiye district, where special operation police officers use a field for firearm training and practice.

Referring to the incident dated March 23, the Office has said that the area has been an "official shooting and training site" since 2005.

According to the statement based on PTS records, security camera footage and statements taken, "the incident of suspicious death happened some 300 meters outside the related area and the Provincial Security Directorate personnel came to the site in the morning on the day of the incident and left the shooting range at 3.08 pm after completing their training".

Citing the post-mortem examination, the Governor's Office of Urfa has stated that "there was no bullet entry or exit in the victim's body, but there were pieces of metal in his different body parts". Based on these findings, the Governor's Office has reckoned that "the victim might have lost his life after an object that he had found in the field after 5.30 pm exploded".

The Office has announced that "the comprehensive judicial and administrative investigation into the incident is still ongoing".

'No bodily integrity'

Speaking to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) about the incident, the neighborhood residents previously said that on the day of the incident, shooting was heard from the area until 6 pm. They also said that the related area has been used as a shooting ground for the past two years.

Moreover, the family said that the bodily integrity of Muharrem Aksem, who was found in the shooting range, had been destroyed and that his body had been hit by several bullets or shrapnels. (RT/SD)