A man suspected for killing 39 people in an Istanbul night club on New Year’s Day was arrested by Turkish police, according to Turkish media. The alleged shooter, identified as Abdulgadir Masharipov, was captured in an Istanbul apartment during a large-scale police operation on Monday, as security source told state-run Anadolu News Agency. Four other people, including a man of Kyrgyz origin and three women, were reportedly detained along with Masharipov. During the raid on the apartment the man reportedly had his 4-year-old son with him, while police discovered 150,000 euros in his hide out. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group claimed responsibility for the attack on the Reina nightclub, saying it was revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria. Early on January 1, the assailant stormed the popular venue on the Bosphorus and sprayed 120 bullets at partygoers celebrating the start of 2017. Photos show clear signs of struggled with Turkish police.
Of the 39 dead, 27 were foreigners, including citizens from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Tunisia and Morocco. At least 69 people were also wounded in the attack. The suspect had clear signs of “struggle” with police in photos released in Turkish media, with one photo showing a man stomping on what appears to be the suspect’s head on the ground.