Suspected gunman in deadly shootings in southern Türkiye ends life as police close in during a major search effort

A man suspected of carrying out a string of deadly shootings in southern Türkiye has died after taking his own life when security forces surrounded him, Türkiye’s state-run news agency reported on Tuesday (May 19, 2026).

The 37‑year‑old suspect, armed with a rifle, killed his wife and five other people in Tarsus, Mersin Province, on Monday (May 18, 2026), and wounded eight others. Police had deployed helicopters and drones in a major search effort before locating him.

Anadolu Agency reported that the suspect killed himself inside a house where he had been hiding, when the security forces surrounded the building.

He is alleged to have first killed his wife in the street, and then fired from his car at a restaurant, killing its owner and an employee. He later allegedly also killed a teenager, a 50‑year‑old man and another victim in a separate neighbourhood.

The Mersin Governor’s office said the man had a history of substance abuse and psychiatric problems.

The shootings came amid a rise in gun violence in Türkiye. Last month, a school shooting in Kahramanmaraş Province left 10 people dead, while another school attack a day earlier wounded 16.