8 suspects in custody in kokoreç master murder case

Eight suspects, including one minor, have been detained in the investigation into the armed attack that killed 47-year-old Bektaş Can, who operated a mobile kokoreç stand in Sancaktepe, Istanbul. Police believe the murder is linked to a previous extortion dispute and a related wounding incident that allegedly occurred at the same business.

The incident took place on Saturday, September 26, at approximately 00:41 in the Sarıgazi neighborhood. According to allegations, Can was targeted by gunfire from a motorcycle carrying two helmeted individuals while he was serving customers at his stand. Upon arriving at the scene following a report, medical teams determined that Can had lost his life.

Following the murder, teams from the Public Security Branch Office's Murder Bureau began reviewing security cameras in the area. The route taken by the suspects, who fled on a motorcycle without license plates, was tracked through camera footage for approximately 40 kilometers.

During the investigation, it was determined that the attackers abandoned the motorcycle, which had run out of fuel, in the Şile Ömerli section of the Northern Marmara Highway. The gunman and the person driving the motorcycle, who were identified as attempting to flee in another vehicle after walking to a nearby gas station, were captured less than 24 hours after the incident.

Following the suspects' statements and technical work, simultaneous operations were carried out in Istanbul's Bayrampaşa, Pendik, and Beykoz districts, as well as in Kocaeli. With the capture of six more individuals, including one child pushed into crime, who were alleged to have provided aid and abetting, the number of detainees rose to 8.

The 7 suspects whose procedures at the police station were completed, along with the child suspect whose procedures at the Juvenile Branch Office were finished, have been referred to the courthouse.