Research assistant kills four at university

A research assistant has shot and killed four staff members at a university in central Turkey, the university’s president said.

Professor Hasan Gonen of Osmangazi University said the gunman shot and killed a deputy dean, a secretary and two teaching staff at the university’s faculty of education.

The university is in the city of Eskisehir, some 250km west of Ankara.

The attacker, who was identified as Volkan Bayar, was apprehended by police as he left the scene, Mr Gonen said.

He said the motive of the attack appeared to be a personal dispute. The attacker’s main target appeared to be the university dean, who was not in his office when the gunman arrived, he added.

He said the gunman, who was studying for a doctoral degree, had been under investigation at the university after he accused a number of staff members of being followers of Us-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for a failed coup in 2016.