Two terrorists attacked Istanbul's Police Headquarters with long barreled weapons, to whom the police fired back. One female assailant, who was believed to be a suicide bomber, was killed on the spot, while the other assailant fled the scene.

Two police officers have been reported to be injured.

Following the attack, Istanbul Governor Vasip Şahin confirmed that two terrorists attacked the headquarters as one of them was shot dead in exchange of fire with police and the other terrorist was injured.

The other terrorist who fled the scene after the attack was caught by the police approximately 45 minutes after the attack.

A bomb disposal team arrived on the scene after three bombs, reportedly hand grenades, were found on the body of the woman terrorist who had been shot dead. A controlled explosion was conducted by the team.

Several media outlets have reported that the female terrorist is Elif Sultan Kalsen. Kalsen was earlier claimed to have conducted the suicide attack against a police outpost in Istanbul's Sultanahmet district. Although DHKP-C had initially claimed the attack and said that it was conducted by Kalsen, it was later revealed that the attack was conducted by Diana Ramazova of Russian origin with possible links the self proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS).

Kalsen was later associated with the attack on a police outpost in Istanbul's Taksim Square, however, as the female assailant had managed to escape, this claim could not be proven at the time.