“Police Pulled His Gun and Attacked”

Expert report on the death moment of Ethem Sarısülük denied shooter policeman Ahmet Şahbaz’s allegations “I was afraid of being lynched, I pulled my gun”. 

“Policeman Ahmet Şahbaz pulled his gun even before approaching to protestors and set his weapon mechanism ready while kicking a protestor,” the report cited. 

Furthermore, it stated that no stones hit policeman Şahbaz during the incident. “The gun shifted direction due to several stones hitting my body,” said Şahbaz in his defense, claiming that he shot Sarısülük in that fashion. 

“Such report refutes the self-defense argument of police Şahbaz. The report clearly pointed out that he fired his gun on purpose,” advocate Kazım Bayraktar said. 

Footage analyzed frame by frame 

Upon brother Mustafa Sarısülük’s application on July 11, Ankara University academicians Sevilay Çelenk Özen (Associate Professor) and Enver Özüstün (Researcher) has lauched a study on the death moment of Ethem Sarısülük. 

Two academicians analyzed surveillance camera footage frame by frame along with other recordings made by onlooking journalists. Focusing on the death moment of Sarısülük and its shooting angle, they focused on “policeman’s position and stone hit rates”. 

According to the report, policeman Şahbaz departed towards a lying protestors with his gun in hand, kicked him, then set his weapon mechanism, fired and ran away. 

What did court say, what’s the truth? 

The export report contradicted with police Şahbaz’s testimony as well as police logs and court verdict. 

“I was afraid of being lynched, so I pulled my gun,” policeman Ahmet Şahbaz said. He was later on released by the court. 

“It was understood that the suspect was cornered by protestors, subjected to several stones. In the meanwhile, he pulled his gun and fired in the air three times. Ethem Sarısülük fell on the ground as the suspect turned his back and ran away to the opposite direction. On the other hand, protestors resumed throwing stones at him. The suspect used his gun within the limits of self-defense,” the court verdict said on the death moment of Sarısülük. 

Sarısülük was shot as policeman ran away

“39 stones hit Şahbaz,” police logs said. According to the expert report, Şahbaz springs forward from a group of policemen and heads to a lying protestor. Photographs also point out his gun pulling while running. 

“Şahbaz started kicking the face of lying protestor even though he had a gun in hand. He sets his gun’s mechanism while the protestors was running away. When Şahbaz points his gun upward, protestors attempt to run away. He fired twice. In the meanwhile, protestors run away and protect their faces. Ethem Sarısülük is among those who were running away. After the third shot, Sarısülük gets injured in the head. On the moment of firing, Şahbaz’s body is still facing protestors.”

In contrast with certain allegations, the report cites that no stones hit policeman Şahbaz. (AS/BM)