Alalam - Turkey
These are the clearest images of the attacker captured by security cameras.
IHA PhotoInitial police reports suggested that the suspect may be from Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan, while officials are also investigating the possibility that the attacker may be from Xinjiang in eastern China.
The Daesh terror group (Islamic State , ISIS , IS) claimed the attack on Monday. Police arrested eight suspects on Monday in connection with the Istanbul nightclub attack.
According to experts who examined the footage of the attack, the suspect looks to have been professionally trained on how to use the weapon.
In the footage, he is seen wearing a green shirt, a dark pair of trousers and black boots, firing his long-barreled weapon, aiming people's upper bodies.
The suspect went upstairs after entering the Reina nightclub and started firing on revelers, before going downstairs to continue shooting.
"Over the course of the attack he changed six chargers and fired over 180 bullets, according to the investigation."
According to witnesses, he also shot people lying on the ground in the head. The attack reportedly lasted for seven minutes.
He then went to the kitchen, and stayed there for approximately 13 minutes before changing his clothes, taking off his coat, and escaping from the scene amid continued panic. He also cleaned his weapon before leaving the scene.
He then got in a cab and got out in nearby Kurucesme neighborhood after telling the driver he had no money to pay.
Investigators found a total of 500 Turkish liras in the pocket of the coat that he left in Reina club and police are investigating whether he was wearing two coats when he entered the club, Reuters reports.
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