All three of the attackers were Turkish nationals, and ethnic
Kurds. Armed with pistols and shotguns, the attackers arrived in a car and then got out. One of them quickly opened fire near the main entrance to the compound. Footage from a security camera at the site showed, as the
shootout was unfolding, three armed and bearded men emerging from a
Ford Focus being used as an unlicensed taxicab, killing a traffic policeman, then running toward a guard post some 50 yards away as other policemen fired back. The vehicle left the scene, but its driver later turned himself into the authorities; he had no prior connection to the attackers. There were no casualties in the attack apart from the three attackers and three police officers. Two of the slain police officers were identified as Erdal Oztas, 28, from the village of Karahacik located in
Çorum Province, and Nedim Calik. The NTV television network and Doğan News Agency identified the attackers as Erkan Kargın, 26, and Raif Topçıl, 20, both from the southeastern city of
Bitlis and Bülent Çınar, 23, from the eastern city of
Iğdır. Police did not confirm their identities, but Interior Minister Besir Atalay said two of the assailants had criminal records. It was suggested that a shotgun used by Erkan Kargın and two Glock automatic pistols were purchased with a 4,000 YTL loan, withdrawn from the Istanbul branch of a bank, by Kadir Özmen. Özmen had originally planned to attend the attack, but this plan was abandoned. A 24-page indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office Deputy Fikret Seçen, charged Özmen with membership of an armed terrorist organization, possession of explosives and membership in the alleged Ergenekon organization, which meant being charged with attempting to overthrow the government of the Republic of Turkey. A decision to arrest him was made, however as his ID number could not be determined, the prosecutor's office closed the investigation. In response to the attack, the US temporarily increased security at all of its Turkish diplomatic missions. The unsuccessful attack showed that the (new) consulate grounds were safe for the American diplomatic staff. The project management for the land acquisition and the construction of the consulate building was headed by Gary S. Lachman while he was working as the New Embassy and Consulate Team Leader at the
Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations at the
U.S. Department of State. ==International reaction==