Massacre in Konya: Murder suspect Altun arrested

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Caught and detained six days after the massacre, Mehmet Altun, the suspect of the armed attack that claimed the lives of 7 people from the Dedeoğulları family in Konya on July 30, has been arrested.

Taken into custody in the graveyard where he was caught on August 5, Altun was referred to the Konya Courthouse in company with the special operations and riot squad teams amid extensive security measures after the related procedures had been completed at the police station.

Standing before the criminal judgeship of peace on duty, Mehmet Altun has been arrested on charges of "premeditated murder of 7 people with monstrous feelings", "damage to property by burning", "violation of dwelling immunity" and "possession of an unregistered firearm".

11 people in total arrested so far

With the arrest of murder suspect Altun, the number of people who have been arrested over the massacre in Konya has increased to 11.

Taken into custody over the attack on August 3, 10 of the 14 suspects were arrested shortly afterwards. Among the arrested people were the spouse, father, mother and sister of Mehmet Altun.

'I set the house on fire to leave no trace'

The first statement given by the murder suspect at the police station has also been reported in the press. As shared with the public by Mezopotamya Agency (MA), in his first statement, Mehmet Altun said, "In order to leave no traces behind, I shot again while they were lying on the floor and I wanted to set the house on fire so that the camera footage would be deleted."

According to what the suspect said in his first statement, he went to the house of the Dedeoğulları family to tell them to withdraw their criminal complaint about the attack on May 12. "I went to the house for reconciliation," he reportedly said, briefly adding the following remarks:

"I first introduced myself as a municipality official. When I took off the mask, they recognized me. After recognizing me, they walked up to me. And I pulled out my gun and told them to withdraw their criminal complaint against my elder sister and her spouse. I wanted them to sign the document that I had prepared in order to withdraw their complaint.

"We went there for reconciliation. As they reacted and walked up to me, I shot them all dead. In order to leave no traces behind, I shot again while they were lying on the floor and I wanted to set the house on fire so that the camera footage would be deleted."

Crime scene and autopsy reports

The crime scene investigation report and the autopsy report added to the file of the investigation carried out by the Konya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the incident have also been reported in the press.

The crime scene report has indicated that Altun killed the family in the garden of their house where he forced them to gather. Noting that the paramedics arrived at the scene of the incident before the police, the report has said that after the fire was put out, the house was cordoned off.

As for the autopsy reports, they have found 21 bullets in total in the bodies of the massacred seven family members, adding that their causes of death were brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding as a result of damage to the brain. The reports have indicated that the bullets that hit six people in the head and Yaşar Dedeoğulları in the neck were the death blows.

What happened?

An armed assailant raided the house of Dedeoğulları family 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)