Ankara probes attack on Turkish reporter in US

ANKARA

The chief public prosecutor's office in the capital Ankara has launched an investigation into the attack on Turkish journalist Yunus Paksoy during a live broadcast in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

The incident on June 1 took place near a farm believed to be the residence of Fetullah Gülen, the U.S.-based leader of FETÖ, the group behind the failed 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye.

Paksoy was on air for private broadcaster CNN Türk when an individual drove a car into him. The man then exited the vehicle, struck Paksoy's camera and hurled insults at him. The live broadcast was abruptly cut off as the camera fell to the ground.

Paksoy later said he managed to escape serious injury by stepping onto the pavement as the car, which lacked a license plate, was driven into him.

Following the attack, Paksoy called 911 twice and the police arrived at the location. "They took photographs of the assault traces, my accreditation documents and captured the footage of the assault," he said.

Later in the day, Ankara condemned the attack and said appropriate measures were being taken by U.S. authorities to ensure those responsible are held accountable under the law.

According to Turkish daily Sabah, the attacker has been identified as Ahmet Can, a member of FETÖ. He is alleged to be a key figure in FETÖ's judicial structure, referred to in Türkiye as the "shadow justice minister."