Seven people were shot and injured on Saturday night in Istanbul after a giant snowball fight escalated, Turkish media reported.
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Taking advantage of abundant snowfall, several dozen people embarked on a snowball fight in a park in the Tophane district, neighboring the very touristy Galata and Karaköy districts, on the European side of the city.
For unknown reasons, the tone rose between two groups of men who began to clash with kicks and punches, said the Turkish news agency DHA. At least one of them then fired a handgun, injuring seven people, according to DHA, which released CCTV footage from the scene.
According to the Turkish foundation Umut, around 25 million firearms are in circulation in the country – for a population of 84.7 million – a figure much higher than the authorities’ estimates.
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