A shopper successfully disarmed and subdued a gunman who fired three shots inside a convenience store in Wood Green, North London, in March. The incident, captured on CCTV, involved Mustafa Bolat, 29, firing a pistol at Ali Unlu, another shopper.
Unlu reacted quickly, turning the handgun away from himself as Bolat missed his target. The two men then grappled, falling among boxes of fruit. Unlu struck Bolat to subdue him before Bolat calmly left the store. Multiple calls were made to emergency services reporting the shooting.
Bolat, of Tottenham, admitted to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He was acquitted by an Old Bailey jury of attempted murder and possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life. During the trial, Bolat claimed he only intended to scare Unlu, while prosecutors alleged an attempted murder. Unlu reportedly did not cooperate with the police investigation.
Bolat has a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm from a 2017 knife attack. He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on November 13.
The area of Wood Green is known for Turkish gangland activity, and both Bolat and Unlu are believed to be of Turkish heritage. However, the exact motive for the attempted shooting remains unclear due to the lack of cooperation from both individuals with the police.
