Retired Yakup Açıkgöz, who had lived in New Jersey for nearly 30 years, was spending his summer vacation at a house he had built in his hometown of Güneşler village, in Kastamonu’s Çatalzeytin district.
After an argument over a parking space, a suspect set fire to his neighbor’s house. When Açıkgöz noticed smoke rising from the fire, he went to the scene with other villagers to help put out the flames and rescue those inside the house.
After learning that children were inside the house, Açıkgöz tried to enter. The suspect threatened people in the area and opened fire on those attempting to help.
Yakup Açıkgöz was killed at the scene by the gunfire. Several people were injured, while a house and a vehicle were completely rendered unusable in the fire.
Açıkgöz’s nephew, Çağrı Açıkgöz, said his uncle had no involvement in the incident and had gone to the scene to rescue the children. Çağrı Açıkgöz said the incident was a deliberate attack targeting people who were trying to help.
The investigation into the suspect detained after the incident is being conducted by gendarmerie teams.