Gunman who killed woman at HDP office arrested

İZMİR

Onur Gencer, who stormed an office of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in the western province of İzmir and shot Deniz Poyraz dead on June 17, was arrested on June 18.

In his statement to the police, Gencer said that he did not have any connections with any group and that he carried out the attack because of his hatred toward the PKK.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union.

“I entered the building with the intention to kill everyone who might have been in the office at that time indiscriminately and shot around,” Gencer said in his statement.

Gencer, a former health worker, told the police that he scouted around the building before and he thought there would be several people in the office when he launched the attack.

He shot all 10 rounds in his gun, the assailant said in his statement.

Deniz Poyraz was at the office at the time of the attack covering for her mother, Fehime Poyraz, an HDP employee helping with office work, but she took a day off.

HDP closure case

On a separate note, a rapporteur for the Constitutional Court has demanded that the top court accept the indictment seeking the closure of the HDP.

The indictment penned by the chief prosecutor also demands that 451 party members be barred from doing politics on charges of violating the constitution.

The Constitutional Court will decide on whether to accept the indictment on June 21.

If the indictment is accepted, it will be sent to the HDP for a preliminary defense.