ISIS Claims Responsibility For Deadly Nightclub Shooting, As Turkish Police Search For Suspect
ISTANBUL (CBSNewYork) -- Investigators have a description of the person behind the deadly New Year's nightclub attack that killed 39 people in Turkey -- an attack for which ISIS has taken responsibility.
Cell phone video from inside Club Reina showed a crowd of 600 ringing in the new year, but as CBS2's Jonathon Vigliotti reported, just an hour into 2017, a gunman struck.
Surveillance video shows him exchanging fire with cops outside on the street -- bullets ricocheting off of a car.
A camera then captured him shooting his way into the club, killing a police officer and a civilian.
Inside, he reportedly shot anyone in his path. Some clubgoers initially thought the shots were fireworks.
The fashionable club attracts local celebrities and tourists from around the world.
"I was shot in the leg," Jake Raak said as he was led out on a stretcher.
Raak, a business owner from Greenville, Delaware was injured in the attack.
"These crazy people came, and shooting at everything," he said.
A bullet reportedly bounced off his phone and hit him in the leg.
"All I can say is, it's a massive tragedy. For me, I wake up in the United States, I eat breakfast, you guys wake up and have to think of this, it's so, so sad. I really wish everybody here the best," he said.
There were 17,000 police patrolling the streets on New Year's Eve amid a wave of attacks in Turkey in 2016 from ISIS and Kurdish separatists, Club Reina increased its security.
The Interior Minister believes the man acted alone, and came prepared -- leaving in his wake a shattered night club, and a bloody start to the new year.
The attacker remained at large on Monday, as a massive manhunt continued. The Interior Minister believes the shooter changed clothes before disappearing amidst the chaos.
Turkish officials said they believe they have the shooter's fingerprints and are close to identifying the person.
