Istanbul deputy police chief arrested over road rage related murder

The deputy chief of Istanbul police has been arrested on Monday night over a reported road rage related murder in Turkey's largest city, police said.

Celal Yılmaz, 51, is suspected of having shot and killed motorcyclist Ahmet Suluşoğlu, 32, following an argument while he was on his way home with his wife on Sunday night, early Monday morning, in Istanbul's Halkalı district, police said.

Yılmaz reportedly called the police emergency line at around 1.00 a.m. local time (2200GMT, Sunday) to say he had shot and killed Suluşoğlu, police added.

Police said that Yılmaz claimed Suluşoğlu followed him, after their argument, to his house in Halkalı police lodging.

Suluşoğlu allegedly stopped Yılmaz's car with his motorcycle and the two continued arguing, according to Yılmaz's testimony. Suluşoğlu allegedly pulled a gun on Yılmaz while the deputy police chief was parking his car.

Istanbul police have determined that Suluşoşlu's gun was a blank cartridge gun.

Yilmaz was sent to jail Monday night pending trial.