Gun attack martyrs police chief in northeastern Turkey

By Muhittin Sandikci and Meltem Ozturk</p> <p>RIZE/ANKARA, Turkey (AA) – A police chief was martyred in an armed attack in the northeastern Turkish province of Rize, the provincial governor said on Tuesday. </p> <p>A police officer, identified by his initials I.S., opened fire at Altug Verdi, 46, at his office at around 2.50 p.m. local time [1150 GMT] when the first handed in his appointment demand to the chief. </p> <p>According to Rize Governor Kemal Ceber, the chief did reportedly not accept the officer’s demand.</p> <p>The attacker also wounded Ercan Polat, the head of a personnel office, in the chest and the back, and Yigit Can Koksal, bodyguard of the police chief, in his leg, Vice President Fuat Oktay said in the capital Ankara. </p> <p>The police chief, who sustained injuries in his neck, succumbed to his wounds in the hospital, Oktay added, while the others are not in critical condition.</p> <p>The attacker, who was wounded in the foot by Koksal, was arrested.