Police open fire on civilian vehicle in Kızıltepe, Mardin

Police officers at the checkpoint next to the Turkish Regional Traffic Bureau in the Kızıltepe district of Mardin opened fire on a vehicle carrying six people, three of whom were children. According to the information, the vehicle of the chair of the Kızıltepe Car Dealers Area, Tarık Birleşik, was stopped at the checkpoint with his children aged 11-14, nephew, brother and a relative in it after he left work. During the ID check, another vehicle passed without entering the checkpoint.

The police officers used bad language against the driver of the passing vehicle. The police mistreated Birleşik and those around them after he said that swearing was not right. When the police officers said that “We are the state”, Birleşik replied, “We are citizens”. The police officers insulted Birleşik, saying “We are the state, and you are just dogs.”

One of the police officers fired six shots at the vehicle as Birleşik pulled his vehicle off the road.

After the incident, Birleşik and his brother Ramazan Birleşik were detained for allegedly “resisting a police officer”. The two brothers were taken to Kızıltepe Courthouse after they gave their statements to the police.