Turkish House attacker identified

NEW YORK

Authorities have identified the assailant of the attack on the Turkish House (Türkevi) in New York as a Turkish citizen who entered the U.S. illegally from the Mexican border.

The Turkish House building, which hosts the Permanent Mission of Türkiye to the United Nations and the Consulate General, came under attack on May 22, as the assailant carrying a crowbar smashed multiple windows of the building.

Turkish officials shared identifying information about the perpetrator with the New York Police Department.

Recep Akbıyık, a Turkish citizen who left Türkiye last year, is still on the run, the police said.

He is reportedly homeless and has mental issues.

In footage of the suspect released by the U.S. police, he is seen exiting a subway station in New York.

Consul General of Türkiye in New York Reyhan Özgür stated that they identified the suspect with the phone calls from Turkish citizens seeing the footage.

Akbıyık, who is from the northern province of Giresun, had a criminal record in Türkiye for “injuring, threatening and drug possession,” Özgür informed.

In line with the information provided by the Consulate General, the New York police accelerated the investigation and raided the homeless shelter where the suspect was staying, but he has not yet been caught.

It was noted that he worked at a gas station in the Long Island area of New York for a while.