Police Department Backs Another Trigger Happy Police Officer

Istanbul Police Department described the shooting by police officer Mustafa Atasoy of Cem İnci, while walking, as a gun misfired during an argument between the two. However, it did not explain why the same police officer prevented others with his gun when they tried to help the victim.

İstanbul - BİA News Center
08 August 2008, Friday

Istanbul Police Department backs another trigger-happy police officer, who shot a youth for no police business whatsoever. According to the Police Department, police officer Mustafa Atasoy shot Cem İnci when his weapon misfired during a verbal argument between the two.

According to the explanation of the Police Department, the reason the police officer was not handcuffed was because he was an officer and there was no flight risk. The same explanation described the excessive hugging and kissing between the police officers while the accused was on his way to the prison as police solidarity.

The last paragraph of the explanation concluded by stating that a police officer was a human being, too, that they all had to wait for the result of the trial. The report did not fail to accuse the reporters for describing the police officer in negative terms.

No explanation for preventing the necessary medical aid to the victim

The Police Department did not say anything about the prevention of help to the victim by the accused. According to the witnesses and victim’s relatives, accused police officer prevented people in the scene who attempted to help the victim with his weapon.

“My son could not even call his mother when he was dying”

According to Elvan Ezber’s report from daily Milliyet, victim’s father Zihni İnci said, “According to the people there, the police officer did not let anyone approach his son, holding his gun against them. Instead of calling an ambulance, he called his police friends and told them that he shot someone. Only after other police officers arrived at the scene, they called an ambulance. When my son tried to call his mother, the officer did not let him.”

According to accused police officer Atasoy’s statement, victim İnci and his friends harassed him, he tried to get away first, but they did not let him, and when he got his gun out to scare them, it misfired. (TK/EZÖ/TB)

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