The suspect is reported to have fled in a car.

19:10, Mon, May 18, 2026 Updated: 19:41, Mon, May 18, 2026

People around an ambulance

At least five people were killed (Image: tabyadijital)

At least five people have died and eight more are feared injured after a suspected gunman reportedly opened fire inside a restaurant. Police have launched a manhunt following the shooting in Turkey on Monday (May 18).

The suspect reportedly opened fire in the restaurant located in the Tarsus district, Mersin province, before fleeing the scene in a car. Officers are now searching for the suspect with helicopters also deployed in the manhunt. According to locals reports from CNN Türk, the suspect killed his ex-wife before opening fire on the restaurant. His identity and motives are not immediately clear.

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As reported by the Daily Sabah, the suspected shooter used a pump-action shotgun to open fire at the restaurant at around 12pm local time (10am GMT).

Emergency services rushed to the scene and a cordon was put in place around the various crime scenes. Meanwhile, at least five people are believed to be dead with a further eight rushed to hospital with injuries.

Locals reports say the owner as well as an employee of the restaurant are among those dead. A shepherd grazing his sheep and a lorry driver were also killed.

A large-scale manhunt has now been launched as authorities seek to track down the shooter. Police have launched helicopter and drone support while authorities on the ground are monitoring the local highways as they search for the attacker.

The shooting took place in the Kadelli Neighbourhood of Tarsus. The city, located around 12 miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea, is a vital trading hub.

Turkey shooting

The shooting took place in the Tarsus district (Image: Tarsusakdeniz.com)

The latest shooting in Turkey comes just over a month after a student shot dead nine people, including fellow pupils, at a school. A further 13 people were wounded in the shooting in the south east of the country.

Just days earlier, a former student killed himself in a showdown with police after wounding 16 people in a shooting at a high school in Sanliurfa province. Likewise, in May 2024, a former student killed a private high school principal in Istanbul with a firearm five months after he was expelled.

Turkish gun laws require licensing, registration and stringent background checks. They also set out severe penalties for illegal possession of a firearm.