Wednesday 16 March 2011

Turkish singer Tatlıses still in critical list, culprits still at large - Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

Turkish singer Tatlıses still in critical list, culprits still at large

Font Size: Larger|Smaller

Tatlıses remains in critical condition a day after being shot in the head.

Tatlıses remains in critical condition a day after being shot in the head.

Internationally known Turkish singer İbrahim Tatlıses, who was shot in the head in Istanbul after midnight Sunday, remains in critical condition, doctors said Tuesday as a large police team was assembled to investigate the attack.

Tatlıses is still in intensive care, Dr. İlhan Elmacı from Maslak Acıbadem Hospital said Tuesday. “As long as the patient stays in intensive care, this means the risk of death continues,” Elmacı said.

The Istanbul Police Directorate has assembled 10 police teams involving 30 policemen to investigate the attack, for which no motive has been reported. As of Tuesday, police had questioned 110 people regarding the incident.

The chief doctor at the Maslak Acıbadem Hospital, Dr. Çağlar Çuhadaroğlu, said both Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Abdullah Gül have been calling the hospital to get information about the health condition of Tatlıses. The singer, a member of Turkey’s Kurdish minority, has recorded more than 30 albums and acted in movies.

Iraqi Vice President Tarıq Al Hasimi, who came to Turkey in order to attend the Leaders of Change Summit in Istanbul, meanwhile wished Tatlıses a speedy recovery.

Tatlıses was leaving the Beyaz TV Channel studio building in Istanbul’s Şişli district, where he was filming a program, after midnight Sunday when unknown assailants in a black car opened fire with long-barreled weapons before fleeing the scene.

The singer was shot in the head and his assistant Buket Çakıcı, who was accompanying him, was hit in the shoulder. Tatlıses’ bodyguards brought the injured singer and his assistant to the Private Levent Hospital in the singer’s car.

Following the administration of first aid, Tatlıses and Çakıcı were transferred to Maslak Acıbadem Hospital, where the singer underwent surgery for around 45 minutes before he was taken to an intensive-care unit. Doctors said his health condition was still critical.

Çakıcı was in stable condition following an operation on her neck.

Flickr - projectbrainsaver

www.flickr.com
projectbrainsaver's A Point of View photoset projectbrainsaver's A Point of View photoset