Turkey: Teen wearing helmet and bulletproof vest livestreams stabbing rampage outside mosque (VIDEO)

At least five people were injured in a knife attack in northwestern Turkey before the attacker was detained by police, official and media reports said Tuesday.

The 18-year-old allegedly stabbed people who were relaxing at an open-air cafe after prayers at a mosque in Eskisehir, some 143 miles (230 kilometers) west of the capital, Ankara.

He was detained following a police chase, according to the Eskisehir governor's office.

Five injured in stabbing at mosque in #Turkey

A masked man wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest on Aug 12 stabbed at least five people outside a mosque in northwest Turkey before being detained by police, according to local media reports.

The 18-year-old suspect, armed with a… pic.twitter.com/7kMzILIa2Z

— Ian Collins (@Ian_Collins_03) August 13, 2024

The five wounded individuals were hospitalized. Two of them were in a critical condition, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on X, formerly Twitter, that prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident.

Knife-wielding teenager apparently influenced by a video game, according to reports

The teenager, identified as Arda K., wore a helmet, a skull face covering and a bulletproof vest during the attack, media reports said.

HaberTurk television said the assailant broadcast the stabbing spree on social media through a camera attached to his vest.

HaberTurk and Anadolu reported that the attacker appeared to have been influenced by a video game, but did not provide a source for this assertion.

The masked man was also carrying an ax but did not appear to have used it.