WARNING: Reporting is somewhat sketchy. However, early reports indicates one or two men adorned in Christmas or Santa outfits, and armed with rifles, entered a nightclub in Istanbul Turkey and opened fire on the crowd. According to current reporting there were as many as 500-800 people in the club when the shooting began.
UPDATE 1100pm EST: At least 35 people have been confirmed killed, with approximately 40 more wounded. UPDATE 1:00am EST Unfortunately the death toll has now climbed to 39 people killed and 69 people wounded. There are many foreign nationals missing. The gunman/gunmen are still at large.
CNN REPORT: Istanbul (CNN) – At least 39 people were killed and at least 69 wounded in an attack in a nightclub early Sunday as they were celebrating the new year, Turkey’s Interior Minister said.
“We are face to face with a terror attack,” Interior minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters. Twenty-one of the dead have been identified, he said. Of those, 16 were foreign nationals and five were Turkish”.
US officials also called it a terrorist attack, making it the first of 2017. Soylu also said that “the efforts to locate the terrorist are ongoing. Security forces have begun the necessary operations. God willing soon (the attacker) will be apprehended.” (read more)
BREAKING: Officials say at least 35 people are dead and 40 more injured after attack on popular nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey – AP, DJ
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) January 1, 2017
Video shows gunman shooting his way into the Istanbul Night Club. Bullets bounce off vehicles and one person shot in the street.
https://twitter.com/KGBVeteran/status/815368946887098368
Twitter accounts have additional information below:
BREAKING: Dozens killed in Istanbul nightclub attack https://t.co/ecim6ibBTN pic.twitter.com/63jNlZBmXm
— New York Post (@nypost) January 1, 2017
#BREAKING : Armed men (Knives and Guns) have attacked a night club in #Istanbul, many injured #Turkey pic.twitter.com/zxog0Kx2BD
— Support Armenia 🇦🇲 (@SupportArmenia) December 31, 2016
Reina'daki silahlı saldırganlardan ilk görüntüler. Yaralı sayısı 50 deniyor. pic.twitter.com/XWU2Pswnto
— Ürün Dirier (@DirierUrun) December 31, 2016
https://twitter.com/rose_k01/status/815332979014828032
#Turkey #Istanbul – Preliminary toll: 1 officer and 2 civilians killed in shooting @ #Reina nightclub. 40 injured. To be confirmed. https://t.co/orUWtnhdww
— Terror Events (@TerrorEvents) December 31, 2016
Turkish state media reports one attacker is still inside the nightclub in Istanbul https://t.co/uprlWXl2W2
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 31, 2016
https://twitter.com/_Misrati/status/815344150119907328
An armed attack on Reina, in #Istanbul's famous club. Many casualties, injuries reported. First footage. Turkey new year's. https://t.co/sRLadqzGc1
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) December 31, 2016
#BREAKING Two dead, several hurt in armed attack on Istanbul nightclub: TV
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 31, 2016
*DEVELOPING* Turkish special forces preparing to storm Istanbul night club after gunmen attack wounds many: Report https://t.co/diJkAgnqiG pic.twitter.com/hcWWkEdyEF
— CNA (@ChannelNewsAsia) December 31, 2016