The shooting of 49-year-old Turkish national Ertekin Özkan by the police in Mannheim, Germany, last Saturday has prompted a strong reaction from the deceased's family, who demand accountability and justice for the incident.

Ertekin Özkan's mother, Seniye Özkan, lamented that the police intentionally shot her son. "They ignored my son's pleas. They purposefully took the life of my son, a father of three," she said.

Özkan also revealed her attempt to reach her son but was denied access by the police. She sorrowfully stated, "Had they allowed me to be with my child, I could have saved him. My child did not harm anyone."

Accusing the police of not issuing any warnings, Özkan vowed to pursue justice relentlessly, asserting, "I will fight for my rights till the end."

Addressing the claims of her son's alleged drug use, Özkan refuted the allegations, affirming: "My son has been clean for two years. He was about to start a new job this year. I've dedicated 50 years of my life to Germany. They killed my child in broad daylight. We served Germany for years. This level of injustice and disbelief is unimaginable."

Meral Sert, Ertekin's sister, described her brother's death as an execution by the German police. Expressing disbelief, she questioned the use of four bullets against her brother, stating, "Four unnecessary bullets. Even if one shot was fired, why four? One police officer fired twice, and the rest once. There was no justification for any shooting. I perceive this as an execution. It's akin to murder."

Emphasizing their determination to pursue legal action, Meral Sert criticized the authorities for denying her access to her brother at the scene. Recounting the distressing sight, she said, "I pleaded, 'Please let me bid farewell to my brother.' Unfortunately, they didn't allow me. They performed CPR for about 40 minutes. It was a distressing scene. He was unclothed, and blood was everywhere. When the ambulance arrived, it stopped at the corner, and that's when I realized we had lost my brother. The medical team informed us that he passed away from the gunshot wounds despite their efforts."

Sema Umuç, an eyewitness to the Ertekin Özkan incident, shared her perspective: "The chaos unfolded right in front of my house. Initially, I thought it was a scuffle. Peering outside, I witnessed someone holding a knife, yelling, 'Shoot me.' His mother was present, pleading, 'Ertekin, don't do it.' I recognized him as the older brother of my friend, Meral. As I tried reaching Meral on the phone, Ertekin advanced a few steps, and then I heard four shots. I screamed in shock. The police's response was unprecedentedly disproportionate compared to a similar incident in Mannheim."

The remains of Ertekin Özkan are slated for burial in the Muslim cemetery in Mannheim once autopsy procedures conclude.

German Left Party representative Gökay Akbulut denounced the police action, echoing statements from Ertekin Özkan's daughter, Yasemin, on a local TV channel via his social media handle, employing the hashtag "police violence."

Criticism arose on social media over the police's use of lethal force, with comments contending that officers could have incapacitated Özkan with non-lethal means instead of resorting to fatal gunfire.

Two fatalities resulted from Mannheim police interventions on May 2 and 10, 2022. Subsequently, inquiries were initiated, and trials of the involved officers are scheduled to commence next month.

The "May 2 Initiative" will host an event today in the vicinity of the incident to denounce Özkan's killing by the police and stage a vigil against police violence. Additionally, a protest is scheduled in Mannheim's city center on Dec. 30 to spotlight police brutality.

Türkiye's Karlsruhe Consul General Mahmut Niyazi Sezgin offered condolences and assured that they would actively follow up on the incident.

A joint statement from the Mannheim Prosecutor's Office and Police Department reported that a distress call reporting a crime led officers to the scene, where they encountered a knife-wielding individual. Allegedly, the 49-year-old was wounded in a police shooting and succumbed to injuries at the hospital.

Per Germany's Ministry of Internal Affairs directives, police may use firearms only as a last resort. The discretion to employ a firearm rests with the responding officers, guided by the principle of "proportionality."