UPDATE: A video of the assassin shows a Turkish riot police officer named Mert Altintas fired up to five bullets into the Russian ambassador at point blank range. Altintas yelled “allaha akbar” repeatedly, while waving his gun around and raging about what was happening in Allepo, after murdering Karlov. He was eventually shot dead by security.
Andrei Karlov, Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, was shot and killed on Monday. Dec. 19.
The shooting took place while Karlov was making a speech at an art exhibition in the Turkish capital of Ankara, Turkey’s Daily News reported. Hurriyet also reported that a representative from the Russian Embassy “believed that it was a radical Islamist attack,” but other sources said the shooter was a member of Karlov’s own security detail.
The U.S. State Department issued a statement: “We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source.”
Karlov served as ambassador to Turkey since 2013. Prior to his posting in Ankara, Karlov was Russia’s ambassador to North Korea.
The State Department, citing reports of the shooting which took place near the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, advises all Americans to avoid the area until further notice.
Additional information will be provided as details become available.