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According to multiple reports, 35 people were killed at an Istanbul nightclub when an assailant dressed as Santa Claus opened fire on clubgoers.
The attack occurred at 1:15 p.m., according to a report in The New York Times, at one of the city's most prestigious nightclubs, Reina. There were an estimated 600 people inside at the time.
"One person first kills the police officer outside, and then a civilian," Istanbul's governor told The New York Times. "Inside, he rained bullets brutally, mercilessly over innocent people who were there just to celebrate the New Year and have fun."
Once gunfire broke out, many clubgoers jumped into the Bosporous, a waterway that separates Europe and Asia.
Police came on the scene in riot gear and carrying machine guns, according to the Associated Press, and were backed up by armored vehicles in heavy rain.
The attack took place despite considerable efforts to step up security in a number of Turkish cities. According to the Associated Press, police were barring traffic leading to key squares in both Istanbul and Ankara. In Istanbul, 17,000 police officers were on duty - some camouflaged as Santa Claus and street vendors, said local news outlet Andalou.
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