Two detained a month after Karlov assassination

Fevzi Kızılkoyun – ANKARA

The organizer of the photography exhibition where Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov was assassinated has been detained along with an Ankara police officer, almost a month after the killing. 

The exhibition organizer, identified only by the initials T.Ö., and the police officer, whose identity was not disclosed, were detained on Jan. 17 after the former’s statements alleging that the gunman, Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş, may have visited the arts center three days before the attack. 

In his statement right after the shooting, T.Ö. had also said they thought Altıntaş was an official bodyguard before the killing took place. 

Altıntaş was shot dead by police at the scene while he was delivering a speech after shooting Karlov. 
The police officer, meanwhile, is suspected of protecting Altıntaş at the police department where he used to work.    

Ambassador Karlov was shot dead on Dec. 19, 2016 by Altıntaş, who entered the gallery with his police ID and was standing behind the victim at the time of the assassination.