In a disturbing incident in northwest Turkey, a masked assailant wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest stabbed at least five individuals outside a mosque in Eskisehir on Monday, according to local media sources.
The attacker, an 18-year-old male, wielded a long knife and live-streamed the assault on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The attack took place in the tea garden of a mosque, where the suspect was eventually apprehended by the police, as reported by local media.
Conflicting reports from some news outlets indicated that up to seven people may have been injured in the attack.
The attacker appeared as though he was dressed for a game, with an axe hanging from his waist, a bulletproof vest, helmet, and his face fully masked,” reported Eskisehir Durum, a local news site.
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Images circulating online showed that the suspect had also donned goggles over his mask, further obscuring his identity. Additionally, some reports suggested that he displayed a “black sun” symbol, a Nazi emblem composed of multiple swastikas, on his chest.
According to the daily newspaper Cumhuriyet, the assailant did not shout or reveal any specific motive during the attack. The publication speculated that the suspect might have been influenced by violent video games, although no further details were provided.