A Turkish man armed with a gun and suspected of carrying a bomb was shot and wounded by a security guard when he tried to enter the Ukrainian consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, Turkish officials said.
Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said a bomb squad was investigating a bag containing cables that the man had been carrying, but it was doubtful whether there were explosives inside.
"We don't think it is a bomb, but the police are checking it, and will probably blow it up, just in case," the governor told Turkey's NTV news channel.
The governor said the 29-year-old man's wife was living in Ukraine, and his motive appeared to be personal rather than political.
The man tried entering the consulate at about 9 a.m. and began firing randomly before he was shot by a guard.
The wounded man was taken to a hospital, and he was not in critical condition, the governor said. There were no other casualties.
Television images showed police cordoning off the area in the Florya neighborhood, near the city's international airport. Police also evacuated nearby buildings.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.