Senior official killed in assault on Adana municipality building

ADANA

The deputy executive assistant of the mayor has been killed in an armed assault on the municipality headquarters in the southern province of Adana, with authorities dismissing the incident as a personal issue between the attacker and the official.

The assailant, identified as M.G., who works at the municipality's pastry-producing institution, paid a visit to his friend, Samet Güdük, at his office at the municipality building on Feb. 12.

Firing three shots at Güdük during a conversation in the office, the gunman was apprehended shortly after the incident.

Authorities noted that the assailant had bypassed security checks upon entering the building, as he was also employed by the municipality.

Experiencing excessive blood loss, with his heart stopping for a long period, Güdük was put on a life support system, then died shortly after.

In an official statement, the governor’s office revealed that the 44-year-old assailant carried out the attack due to a financial dispute with Güdük, dismissing the possibility of a political motive.

During a visit to the hospital, Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar stated that he had earlier met the attacker during the recruitment process, underling that they could not comprehend the motivation behind the act.

"The person who committed the attack was someone we hired, as he kept begging for a job. Why he resorted to such an action, we cannot understand. As he was a municipal employee, our colleagues did not search him," Karalar said.