Turkey: Police arrest teenager over stabbing in cafe

At least five people were injured in a knife attack in northwestern Turkey before the attacker was detained by police, official and media reports said Tuesday.

The 18-year-old allegedly stabbed people who were relaxing at an open-air cafe after prayers at a mosque in Eskisehir, some 143 miles (230 kilometers) west of the capital, Ankara.

He was detained following a police chase, according to the Eskisehir governor's office.

The five wounded individuals were hospitalized. Two of them were in a critical condition, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on X, formerly Twitter, that prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident.

The knife-wielding teenager was influenced by a video game, according to reports
The teenager, identified as Arda K., wore a helmet, a skull face covering, and a bulletproof vest during the attack, media reports said.

HaberTurk television said the assailant broadcast the stabbing spree on social media through a camera attached to his vest.

HaberTurk and Anadolu reported that the attacker appeared to have been influenced by a video game, but did not provide a source for this assertion.

The masked man was also carrying an ax but did not appear to have used it.