Gunfire hits Turkish Football Federation, no one hurt

ISTANBUL

Assailants opened fire on Sept. 1 on the headquarters of the Turkish Football Federation as the board met inside, officials said, adding that no one was injured in the attack.

Two suspects were arrested shortly after the incident, according to Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, who described the accused as drunk.

Eleven shots were fired and five rounds struck the federation’s headquarters, the minister said, adding that investigations were ongoing.

DHA news agency said the shots were fired at the office of the president of the federation and a meeting room on the lower floor.

According to media reports, a meeting of the federation’s board was taking place when the shots rang out.

"We threw ourselves to the ground as soon as we heard the shots," Hamit Altıntop, a former Turkish international and one of the federation’s leaders, told the Milliyet daily.

Ruling party spokesman Ömer Çelik announced the initial incident during a routine briefing with reporters, saying he had spoken with TFF chief Mehmet Büyükekşi by phone and wished him well.