Racist attack in Konya: Murder suspect caught 6 days later

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of Konya has announced that the fugitive suspect Mehmet Altun, who is considered to have committed the deadly racist attack in Konya on July 30, has been caught.

According to the statement of the prosecutor's office, Altun has been "caught alive" in the rural part of Bozkır district in Konya. Suspect Altun has been reportedly caught in a graveyard where he was hiding.

10 people arrested on August 3

In a written statement about the racist armed attack that claimed the lives of seven people from the Dedeoğulları family in Konya's Meram, the Konya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced yesterday (August) 3 that 10 of the 14 detained suspects had been arrested.

According to the statement, suspects A.Ç, V.K, Y.Ç, Z.A, A.K, A.K, İ.K, İ.A, İ.A and R.Ç. have been arrested by the penal judgeship of peace on duty on charge of "wilful killing" while M.Ç, İ.Ç, M.G. and A.K. have been released with an international travel ban and judicial control measures, "considering that at this stage, the evidence has not been fully collected, the Historical Traffic Search (HTS) analysis is still ongoing, the criminal reports have not been completed and the digital materials are still being analyzed in the cyber analysis reports, proceedings are continuing as to where the suspects were on the day of the incident through camera footage and witnesses and they are related with the fugitive suspect, who is the main perpetrator of the crime and against whom there is a detention warrant."

What happened?

An armed assailant raided the house of Dedeoğulları family in in Konya's Meram in the evening hours on July 30. He shot seven family members to death, set the house on fire and ran away.

Several police and paramedic teams were referred to the scene of the incident upon reports. The dead bodies of Yaşar Dedeoğulları, Barış Dedeoğulları, Serpil Dedeoğulları, Serap Dedeoğulları, İpek Dedeoğulları, Metin Dedeoğulları and Sibel Dedeoğulları were found at home which was first raided by the perpetrator, then set on fire before leaving.

Living in the same neighbourhood for 24 years, the Dedeoğulları family was subjected to the racist attack of nearly 60 people on May 12. "We are [ultranationalist] idealists, we will not let you live here," a racist group threatened the family and severely wounded 7 family members, including four women. Of the 7 people arrested after the attack, 5 were released. (KÖ/SD)