Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Russian ambassador to Turkey was shot and “seriously wounded” after a gunman stormed into a building where the official was attending a Russian photo exhibition.
“An unknown person opened fire during a public event in Ankara. As a result, the Russian ambassador to Turkey received a gunshot wound,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told journalists.
According to the latest information from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Karlov is now being treated on the spot and was not taken to a local hospital, as reported earlier.
The ambassador, Andrey Karlov, was injured after he was about to deliver a speech on the opening of the exhibition “Russia in the eyes of Turks.”
Photos purportedly showing the perpetrator bearing a firearm are now increasingly circulating on social media. Users are also posting pictures which they say show the Russian ambassador lying on the ground after having been shot.
The perpetrator, who was wearing a suit and a tie, shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ (‘God is great’ in Arabic) during the attack, AP reports, citing their own photographer.
The attacker also said several words in Russian, according to the news agency, and damaged several of the photos at the expo.
Turkish NTV broadcaster says that three other people were also injured in the attack on the ambassador.
The attacker has been killed by Turkish Special Forces, Turkish Anadolu news agency reports. Russian Interfax, citing a source in the Turkish military, also confirms that the gunman was neutralized.
Hurriyet newspaper, citing their own reporter, says that the perpetrator also fired warning shots in the air before targeting Karlov.
According to the paper, Special Forces surrounded the building where the attack took place and are searching for the gunman.
Witnesses say police are engaged in a shootout with the assailant.
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