The Incredible Story Behind That Viral Photo of the Russian Diplomat Assassination

By Brinton Parker

Warning: graphic content ahead.

In the hours following the assassination of Andrei Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, one photo from the nightmarish situation went viral for being both terrifying and striking. When the Associated Press posted the image, taken mere seconds after the gunman opened fire at a photography exhibition in Ankara, Turkey, it struck viewers as instantly historic.

Facebook comments describe the picture — which features the shooter, a Turkish policeman Mevlut Mert Altintas, triumphantly brandishing his gun while reportedly yelling, "Don't forget Aleppo!" — as "a hell of a news photo" and "one of the greatest news photos I've ever seen." Some even laud the image as worthy of a Pulitzer.

"Even if I get hit and injured, or killed, I'm a journalist."

Photographer Burhan Ozbilici, the man behind the lens, shared a different side of the story in his harrowing account of the situation detailed in an emotional AP article. "Guests ran for cover, hiding behind columns and under tables. I composed myself enough to shoot pictures," recalled the photographer. "I was shocked and sad but I started to take photographs, sheltering behind a wall."

While the powerful images he captured of the violence stand out to viewers, what stands out to Ozbilici is the trauma of the moment: "It took me a few seconds to realize what had happened: A man had died in front of me; a life had disappeared before my eyes."

Despite his fear, the photographer felt called to perform his duty as a journalist. "This is what I was thinking: 'I'm here. Even if I get hit and injured, or killed, I'm a journalist. I have to do my work,'" Ozbilici reported to the AP.

Details surrounding the assassination are still emerging, but reports from Turkey say that the assailant was killed by police after carrying out his attack. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that the shooting was intended to ruin diplomatic ties between Russia and Turkey and "prevent an efficient fight against terrorism in Syria," but assured television viewers that each nation's diplomats would not be deterred by violent intimidation tactics.

As more information surrounding the slaying is released, Ozbilici's powerful photo continues to pick up steam, proving the power of photojournalism during times of unrest.