Istanbul Nightclub Mass Shooting Leaves 39 Dead, 70 Wounded

MEP: At least 39 people have lost their lives and 70 others wounded in an attack on a nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey’s interior minister said.

The mass shooting occurred when one gunman reportedly dressed as Santa opened fire in Reina nightclub, Turkey’s interior minister, Suleyman Soylu, told Turkish media on Sunday morning, adding that 21 victims have been identified so far, of whom 16 were foreign nationals and five Turkish citizens.

Four of the wounded are in critical condition, according to Soylu.

“The search for the terrorist continues… I hope (the assailant) will be captured quickly, God willing,” he further added.

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Istanbul’s governor Vasip Sahin said the attacker, armed with a long-barreled weapon, killed a policeman and a civilian outside the club before entering and firing on people partying inside. He did not say who may have carried out the attack.

Footage from the scene showed at least six ambulances with flashing lights and civilians being escorted out. NTV said police had cordoned off the area.

The club is located close to recent suicide attacks that killed dozens near a soccer stadium.

There were reportedly as many as 700 people in the nightclub at the time of the attack, some of whom have jumped into the water to escape.

Turkey has seen attacks on a host of targets over the past year and a half. Most of the bombing attacks have been blamed on the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and other Kurdish groups.