08.06.2026 16:10
The statement of Serhat Altun, the triggerman who killed Can Polat, the cousin of Dilan and Engin Polat in Çeşme, has emerged. Altun, who said he joined the 'Daltons' gang through a comment on social media, stated that the real target was Engin Polat, and he ambushed him in a hotel by tracking him through Dilan Polat's Instagram stories. The triggerman, confessing that when he couldn't see Engin Polat in the hotel, he received orders from the gang to 'Shoot whoever is close to him,' said, 'I felt sick when I read the news that Can Polat was dead.'
The organized crime group 'Daltonlar' emerged behind the armed attack in which Dilan and Engin Polat's close bodyguard and cousin Can Polat lost their lives in Izmir Cesme. The shocking 12-page statement given by the captured hitman Serhat Altun to the police has been revealed. The hitman, who confessed to joining the gang through a comment on social media, said the real target was Engin Polat, but following instructions, he fired at 'whoever was close to him.' Four people have been arrested as part of the investigation.
HOW DID HE JOIN THE GANG?
According to statements obtained by Haberturk, the hitman Serhat Altun's process of joining the gang began on a social media platform. Stating that his financial situation was poor and he was unemployed, Altun wrote a comment under a post he saw online, saying, 'How do we join these gangs?' Following this comment, the hitman said he was contacted by an account with the username 'DltGolfo34' and described the process with these words: 'First, he sent a message saying, "Who are you, tell me your story." I talked about my work, my life, being unemployed, and my poor financial situation. The next day, he said, "Okay, you're clean," and told me I was accepted into the Daltonlar gang.'
HE COMMITTED HIS FIRST MURDER FOR 100 THOUSAND LIRA
Altun, who confessed to being rapidly directed to bloody acts after being accepted into the gang, stated that he committed his first murder in Konya before the attack in Cesme. The hitman calmly confessed to his first crime, saying, 'First, I killed a person in Konya in exchange for 100 thousand lira.'
THE REAL TARGET WAS ENGIN POLAT
Serhat Altun, who said that after the murder in Konya, the gang leader 'Golfo' gave him the new target, stated that the real target was Engin Polat. Expressing that he knew Engin Polat from social media, the hitman recounted the process of the act: 'Golfo gave me the order to shoot Engin Polat. He told me the places Polat frequently visited. I went to the addresses on certain days to scout. I also followed his stories on Instagram. If I had encountered him, I would have shot Engin Polat in a way not to kill him. Golfo gave me the order that I absolutely had to shoot Engin Polat that night. I went in front of the hotel where he was staying. When I saw the car that Dilan Polat shared in her Instagram story in front of the hotel, I realized they would stay one more day.'
THE ORDER: 'SHOOT WHOEVER IS CLOSE TO HIM'
Altun, who said he could not see Engin Polat during his wait in front of the hotel but noticed his cousin and bodyguard Can Polat and reported this to the gang leader, explained the new order he received with these words: 'I told Golfo that I couldn't see Engin Polat, but I saw Can Polat. He gave me the order, saying, "Shoot whoever is close to him." I readied the weapon to fire. The vehicle moved forward a bit and stopped. I raised the weapon and approached from the right side. I panicked and pulled the trigger towards the leg area. Can Polat threw himself to the ground, I fired 2 more shots aiming at his legs, and I ran away.'
'I FAINTED WHEN I HEARD HE DIED'
The hitman, who claimed his only intention was to wound, alleged that he went into shock upon learning of the murder: 'When I read the news that Can Polat had died, I fainted. I sat down in a street I don't remember. Subsequently, the Yunus police came to me and captured me.' Adding that the gang abandoned him, Altun said, 'Golfo promised me, "We'll smuggle you to Istanbul after the job," but I couldn't reach him after the incident. I also wasn't paid anything to shoot Engin Polat.'