Second fatal shooting in three days rocks same Istanbul street

Hendek Street in the Hamidiye neighborhood of Istanbul’s Kağıthane district has become the site of two separate fatal shootings occurring just three days apart. The most recent incident claimed the life of Tolga Derebaşı, a 28-year-old car wash operator, who was gunned down by suspects on motorcycles on Saturday evening.

Car wash owner shot dead

The attack on Derebaşı took place around 18:00 local time. Two helmeted individuals arrived at his business on a motorcycle and opened fire repeatedly. Derebaşı sustained two gunshot wounds to his abdomen and two to his legs, collapsing heavily injured as the assailants fled on their motorcycle.

Bystanders alerted authorities upon hearing the gunfire, prompting police and medical teams to rush to the scene. Although emergency personnel provided initial treatment at the location and transported him to a hospital, doctors were unable to save the young entrepreneur.

Prior killing of Eser Aktaş

This violence echoes an earlier murder on the very same street. On October 21, Eser Aktaş, aged 44, was sitting inside his parked vehicle, bearing license plate 34 DRC 369, when he was targeted by shooters on a moving motorcycle. Aktaş suffered chest and hand injuries and later died in the hospital despite medical intervention.

Following that first homicide, investigators located the perpetrators’ escape vehicle—a motorcycle with license plate 41 ABD 024—along with a weapon and several articles of clothing. These items had been abandoned in front of an electrical panel on Hicazkar Street in the Kağıthane Merkez neighborhood.

Investigation into organized crime links

Police are currently reviewing security camera footage from the area to identify the suspects and trace their escape routes. A key focus of the inquiry is determining whether the two killings are connected, given the similar methodology involving motorcycle-based attackers in both cases.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of organized crime involvement. While one victim was attacked in his car and the other at his workplace, the consistent use of motorcycles by the assailants has drawn significant attention from law enforcement.

Community anxiety rises

The recurrence of lethal violence on Hendek Street within such a short timeframe has generated concern among local residents. Police operations continue actively as they pursue the suspects responsible for the latest shooting and work to uncover the underlying motives behind both deaths.