He shot and killed two employees at the PTT building: The attacker has been caught

The incident occurred in the evening hours at the PTT Chief Directorate building located in the Mermerdelen neighborhood of the city center. According to the information received, an unidentified attacker entered the building to retrieve a card belonging to his father.

The attacker, who was told by the staff that it could not be handed over to him and that his father needed to come himself, began to argue with the staff at the scene.

Following the argument, the individual pulled a weapon from his waistband and began firing. The individual shot and seriously wounded PTT Deputy Manager Selim Okumuş and cleaning staff member Ömer Beyazıt.

He shot and killed two employees at the PTT building:
The attacker has been caught pic.twitter.com/XPdLPW2mzE

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) January 7, 2025

The attacker fled the scene after carrying out the attack. Upon notification, police and medical teams were dispatched to the scene. The 2 seriously injured employees were taken to Rize State Hospital by ambulance.

Okumuş and Beyazıt, who were taken to the hospital, lost their lives despite all interventions. Police teams are continuing their efforts to apprehend the individual who carried out the attack.

CONDOLENCE MESSAGE FROM PTT

Following the incident, PTT published a death notice on its own social media account.

The message stated, "On January 7, 2025, an individual who requested an irregular transaction at our workplace in Rize attacked two of our colleagues after their request was not fulfilled, and unfortunately, our employees lost their lives at the hospital where they were taken.

The necessary investigation has been initiated by our law enforcement agencies regarding the attacker who fled the scene.

Our company will closely follow this heinous attack. We wish God's mercy upon our colleagues who lost their lives in the attack, and patience to their grieving families and our entire PTT community.”

STATEMENT FROM THE RİZE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

The statement indicated that the identity of the attacker had been determined and that efforts to apprehend him were ongoing, stating, "In a tragic incident that occurred at the PTT Chief Directorate building located in Rize Central Mermerdelen neighborhood at around 17:03 today, two of our staff members were shot and seriously wounded as a result of an argument between an individual requesting an irregular transaction and the staff on duty.

Following the incident, police and 112 Emergency Health teams were quickly dispatched to the scene upon notification. The injured personnel (Selim Okumuş, Ömer Bayazit) were taken to the hospital; however, they lost their lives despite all interventions. The identity of the attacker has been determined by security forces, and our police teams are continuing their efforts to apprehend the fleeing individual.

Furthermore, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has initiated a multi-faceted investigation into the incident. We wish God's mercy upon our deceased personnel, and patience and condolences to their families, relatives, and colleagues," the statement read.

CONDOLENCE MESSAGE FROM MINISTER URALOĞLU

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated in a post on his social media account, "We have learned with sadness that two of our employees lost their lives as a result of the heinous attack carried out against our PTT employees in Rize. I wish God's mercy upon our valuable employees who lost their lives in this treacherous attack, and offer my condolences to their grieving families and relatives. We are closely following the process to ensure the perpetrators are held accountable before justice. My condolences to our PTT community and our beloved nation," he said.

STATEMENT FROM MINISTER TUNÇ

Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç announced that the investigation initiated by the Rize Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the armed attack in which two PTT employees lost their lives in Rize is continuing in a multi-faceted manner.

Minister Tunç noted the following in his statement on his social media account:

"I strongly condemn and curse the heinous attack carried out against the employees of the PTT Chief Directorate in Rize. I wish God's mercy upon our PTT employees who lost their lives in the attack, and offer my condolences and patience to their families and relatives. The judicial investigation initiated by the Rize Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the attack is being carried out in a multi-faceted manner."

STATEMENT FROM INTERIOR MINISTER YERLİKAYA

Minister Yerlikaya announced that the attacker had been caught with the following post:

The suspect H.K., who carried out the armed attack that occurred at the PTT Chief Directorate building in Rize Central Mermerdelen neighborhood, in which two of our PTT personnel brothers lost their lives, was caught in a short time in the attic of the building where he was hiding.

I wish God's mercy upon our brothers who lost their lives in the attack, and offer my condolences to their grieving families and the PTT community..

THE ATTACKER HAS BEEN CAUGHT

The incident occurred at around 17:03 at the PTT Chief Directorate building located in the Mermerdelen neighborhood of the city center. According to the information received, the attacker named V.K. entered the building to retrieve a card belonging to his father. The attacker, who was told by the staff that the card could not be handed over to him and that his father needed to come, began to argue verbally with the staff at the scene.

Following the argument, the individual pulled his weapon from his waistband and began firing. The individual shot and seriously wounded PTT Deputy Manager Selim Okumuş and cleaning staff member Ömer Beyazıt. The unidentified attacker fled the scene after carrying out the attack. The incident was reported to the 112 Emergency Call Center.

Upon the notification, police and medical teams were dispatched to the scene. The medical teams that arrived at the scene provided the first intervention to the 2 seriously injured employees before they were taken to Rize State Hospital by ambulance. The employees taken to the hospital lost their lives despite all interventions. While the vehicle of V.K., who fled the scene, was found abandoned in the Fener neighborhood, the individual was caught by police teams in the neighborhood where the incident took place.