Court Extends Custody of Hitman Who Opened Fire on Car in Çatalköy

Details have surfaced regarding a recent shooting in Çatalköy, where a man opened fire on a parked vehicle in broad daylight. The shooter has been identified as a hired hitman from Turkey, allegedly paid 250,000 Turkish lira for the job. A court has ordered that he remain in custody for another eight days as the investigation continues.

The incident took place around 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, on Mersinli Street. According to police, the suspect fired several shots at a car parked in the garden of a private home.

Fortunately, no one was injured, though the vehicle sustained significant damage. The shooter was arrested shortly after the attack.

The case is being handled by an experienced investigation team from the Girne Police Department, known for solving five armed attack cases in the past two years. The suspect appeared in court again yesterday.

During the hearing, it was revealed that the 21-year-old suspect, Görkem Mete, had arrived in Northern Cyprus from Turkey earlier that same day—just hours before the attack. After firing at the vehicle, he attempted to flee the scene in a taxi but was captured by police within 40 minutes.

Under questioning, Mete admitted to discarding the firearm and the clothes he wore during the attack in a nearby stream. Officers later recovered a Glock pistol, two pairs of socks, and a T-shirt from the location. These items were collected as evidence.

Initially, the court ordered a 30-day detention. Now, investigators have requested and received approval to extend his custody for another eight days as the inquiry continues.

Police have established that Mete was hired to carry out the attack and had made contact with the individual who ordered the hit via Telegram while still in Turkey. The woman who owns the targeted vehicle had reportedly received threats prior to the incident.

Interestingly, investigators believe the recovered Glock is not the firearm actually used in the shooting. Authorities are continuing to search for the weapon involved and are also examining the recovered pistol to determine whether it may have been used in other crimes.